College OTR

I Hope You Got Your Meningitis Shot, JMU

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:57:32 EDT

It's official: JMU students are screwed. Especially freshman and anyone that goes out on the weekends. If you were one of the few and stupid to opt out of getting your meningitis shot before college, it's too late now.

Just released yesterday, freshman Taylor Rash has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Yeah, that's the kind that can result in brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disabilities (none of which sound like anything I'm wishing for this Christmas).

The student is currently quarantined at Rockingham Memorial Hospital. Anyone in contact with this poor kid (unsure if it's a boy or girl due to their asexual name) since October 5th is probably in the midst of writing their wills and trying to complete everything on their list of "Things to Do Before I Die" list.

A fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, rash, sore throat and any flu-like symptoms are all indications that you may have the JMU plague.

The meningitis shot isn't a college requirement that administrator's decided to add just for fun. Bacterial meningitis spreads like the plague through close contact with the infected. When was the last time someone sneezed or coughed near you? Probably at least every other day of your life, putting you at a risk of getting infected.

If this kid's been walking around with meningitis for a week a half and most likely going out on at least one of those nights and engaging in a friendly game of beer pong or two, anyone drinking out of those cups (which I'm sure adds up to dozens), should get themselves to the local hospital for a spinal tap ASAP.

There's around a 15% chance of death from bacterial meningitis. A smaller chance of dying from cancer, but not a chance I'd like to take.

We can only hope that this student is an introverted book worm that stays in on the weekends to play World of Warcraft.

OTR Endorsement: Northwestern Homecoming Royalty 2008

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:54:25 EDT

I love the teeny, tiny parts of our Northwestern experience that bring us right back to high school... the Allison dining hall, Death Cab for Cutie concerts and perhaps most ridiculous-- HOMECOMING ROYALTY.

Here at OTR we take this issue very seriously, and we know that this is a big campus, so all y'all might not even know any of the people running to be your Wildcat King and Queen. Fortunately, we've done our homework (ugh, so high school again) and decided that we would rather stage a bloody revolution than to have anyone but Jeniece Fleming and René Jovel be our Homecoming Royalty.

Why??? Why not? Fleming used to be in the pageant circuit, so she's got the diva experience and Jovel is a normal student by day and some sort of weird superhero-Mexican wrestler alter ego by weekends... what's not to love?

So vote here and vote now!

Hey, Brown, Do You Know This Car's Owner?

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:36:23 EDT

This car was parked in front of my house, and I just know that the owner is destined to be my new best friend. Oh my god! This car is stunning. There are bits of glass, bottle caps, shells, and all sorts of random bizarre things glued to the outside of this car, and that's not even taking into account all of the wonderful weirdness going on inside! Wow wow wow. The owner of this car is either completely insane or incredibly creative... or, most likely, both.

Bruins Anticipate Bonfire

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 05:07:37 EDT

Bruins are anticipating the bonfire tomorrow night in Wilson Plaza. But rumors have it that, due to wildfires and Santa Ana winds, that we may have a bonfetti like we did two years ago. Only time will tell. I personally loved the bonfetti.

One Lucky UNC Guy Gets Some Tongue Action

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:56:48 EDT

So the tongue ended up on his face and not in his mouth, but that should count for something.

Everybody Loves A Good Girl Fight At Virginia Tech

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:49:59 EDT

Especially when one is just wearing a bra (or bathing suit?).

Is This Your Car, Brown?

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:48:19 EDT

This car is parked in front of my house, and I just know that the owner is destined to be my new best friend. Oh my god! This car is stunning. There are bits of glass, bottle caps, shells, and all sorts of random bizarre things glued to the outside of this car, and that's not even taking into account all of the wonderful weirdness going on inside! Wow wow wow. The owner of this car is either completely insane or incredibly creative... or, most likely, both.

Vanderbilt Students Know How To Toga

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:47:41 EDT

And it involves a lot of girls close together and not a lot of sheet material between them.

University of Miami Guy Tries To Pull Off The Candy Underwear Look

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:26:39 EDT

A brave choice, but unfortunately he's no match for the candy bra of Boise State.

Incentive to Vote

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:04:48 EDT

Justin Long is, at this moment, on the Dartmouth campus, in the Tindle Lounge in Thayer supporting Barack Obama (unfortunately, he is not here).

He'll be there from 3:30 to 6:30. Go there, register to vote, and meet the Mac guy.

Bring your Dartmouth ID and Driver's License or passport.

For more information...

www.dartmouth.edu/~voteclamantis

When are the Republicans gonna whip out their celebrities?

Heidi Montag? Jessica Simpson? Tom Selleck? Hannah Montana and her dad?

OTR Called It: Princeton Tigers Crushed by University of Maryland Terps

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:29:04 EDT

I hate to say ‘I told you so,’ but I did.

The Princeton Tigers field hockey team choked yesterday during their game against the No. 2 UMD Terrapins, effectively ending their chances of becoming a top-10 team and entering the NCAA tournament.

To say it was a beating would be a gross understatement. The Terps dominated the game from start to finish and ended the night with a 5-0 victory over the sluggish Tigers.

Going into yesterday’s game, the concern amongst Tigers fans was that, because Princeton hadn’t played a game since October 5th, they would be unprepared for the relentlessness of the Terps.

Sadly, their worst fears came to fruition, as the Tigers were visibily fatigued early on and quickly fell apart in the second half.

The Daily Princetonian elaborates on repercussions of their embarrassing defeat:

With the loss, Princeton falls to 2-2 against ranked opponents, which is disappointing for the Tigers, as a win would have solidified hopes for a postseason run.

There’s always next year, Tigers.

Diseases Take Over College Campuses, Bacterial Meningitis Strikes JMU

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:22:14 EDT

College is supposed to be a safe environment for learning and personal growth. But it seems in the last few weeks campuses have turned into a festering petri dish of germs and bacteria, where diseases run rampant.

First, the norovirus invaded Georgetown. Then, a mystery illness took over the University of Southern California. Now, James Madison University is facing its own infectious monster… bacterial meningitis. While the meningitis has only affected on student so far and is not as easily transmitted as the other viruses, its danger factor makes it all the more alarming. A freshman, Taylor Rash, was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis this week.

Meningitis is an infection of the fluids in the spinal cord and surrounding the brain caused by either bacteria or a virus, and is about as pleasant as it sounds. Symptoms include high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, rash, and sore throat. Bacterial meningitis, the more severe type, is transmitted through the direct exchange of nose and throat secretions, so you might want to take inventory on who you’ve made out with lately.

Still, it’s not time to panic yet. So far Rash is the only one affected and is receiving treatment at Rockingham Memorial Hospital. JMU’s The Breeze has the school’s official response:

“While meningitis can be a very serious illness, the university community should be assured that all measures are being taken to prevent the spread of the infection,” said Marsha Mays-Bernard, associate vice president for student affairs, responsible for student health. “JMU is coordinating with local health officials to ensure a safe campus environment.”

The statement also read: “The University Health Center, Rockingham Memorial Hospital and the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County Health Department are working collaboratively to identify anyone who may have been in close contact with the patient. Those individuals will be notified directly by one of the above agencies and will be informed of their treatment options. If you have been in direct contact with Taylor Rash since October 5, 2008, please contact the JMU Health Center at 540-568-6178. The remainder of the university community is unlikely to be at any risk for infection, Mays-Bernard said.”

So stay calm, stay clean and stay out of trouble, JMU.

The "Getting Naked" Dance in Action at Syracuse U.

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:45:23 EDT

Well, that's not the official name, but it's pretty darn close.

Coconut Bra and Fun at Smith College

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:39:37 EDT

Getting ready for a party at Smith -- coconut bras were optional.

Two Reasons to Love Brandeis

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:33:35 EDT

Can you think of any other better reasons?

UNC Cafeteria: The Frat Boys

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:25:20 EDT

Who they are: You can spot them by their short shorts, bright polos, and Croakies (along with all other requisite frat-wear). Many times you can also tell who they are by a lingering smell of stale beer (eau de frat-house?).

Why we love them: They throw parties. Period. Some better than others (shoutout to PiLam and pre-probation TEP), but there is usually free alcohol (for girls, at least) somewhere in Frat Court/Little Frat Court.

Why we love to hate them: Where to begin?

Vinyard Vines bow-ties with random animals in pastel colors (seriously, who thought to make a bow-tie with sheep on it?)
They are drunk and obnoxious at football games...of course, most people are drunk and obnoxious at football games, it's just easy to pick on the frat guys because they all sit together...and dress the same
Roofie rumors...please note that I said rumors
Their bathrooms are DISGUSTING (except Delta Upsilon, good job guys...TEP not so much)
What's in the PJ anyway?
Because the word "date" does not actually mean "a person who is guaranteed to sleep with you if you get them drunk enough"...but good luck

Wheelchair Basketball Raises Disability Awareness On Campus

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:07:36 EDT

I don't know about you, but I happen to think sports played in wheelchairs is unbelievably badass. (If you don't believe me, check out Murderball, the movie about paraplegic rugby). Yesterday, students were given the opportunity to shoot some hoops in front of Northrop while chair-bound in hopes to bring up issues of disability in athletics, as part of October's national Disability Awareness month. The Adapted Sports Club and the Disabled Students Cultural Center provided chairs, a hoop and a basketball to anyone willing to give the game a try without the use of their legs.

“Adapted sports are pretty big at the high school level and students who participate in adapted sports pretty seriously don’t even really consider the U of M," says senior Rachel Garaghty, who is hoping the U of M will begin offering more wheelchair sports to their athletic curriculum. The students who climbed into the chair and tried to shoot the jay recognized the challenges faced by disabled athletes and gained respect for their abilities.

I personally would love to see more adapted sports available here at the U, and I think this was a particularly interesting way to raise this issue. Giving students the opportunity to put themselves in the position of someone in a wheelchair allows them to realize the challenge and may help to advance the visibility of disabled athletes.

Overheard in Gainesville

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:00:15 EDT

Everyone knows Gainesville is a college town but for some people that carries a lot more weight than for others: "Who the **** lives in Gainesville if you don’t go to UF? You should just be shot in the face for that decision!"

Person with too much time on their hands: Have you ever thought that maybe somewhere watermelons taste like the flavor of watermelon candies?
Friend: I don’t give watermelons that much thought.

Group of people shopping at Target:
Girl #1: I saw something like that at Bed Bath and Beyond but I don’t know how expensive it was.
Girl #2: I’m sure there’s something similar at Walmart for cheap.
Girl #3: Mainstays $12.99...I think we've been living in Gainesville too long.

I hope she doesn’t get back together with this guy:
“I dunno, it’s just that for some reason we're drawn to each other. He showed up at my house today after I called the cops on him last night!"

Girl #1: Where did you park?
Girl #2: College Park. I always feel weird saying that, ‘cause I feel like I should be surrounded by Bubba Sparxx and the Ying Yang Twins

Doing sit-ups at the gym:
Girl #1: How many have you done?â€¨
Gym Rat: I dunno, after 15 I stop counting
Girl #1: So you could be at like 37.
Gym Rat: But it’s probably more like 16.

Brown Destroys Harvard and Cornell in Go Cross Campus 2008 Ivy League Competition, Targets Yale Next

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:40:18 EDT

In today’s edition of “Cross Campus,” the Yale Daily News put out an urgent bulletin calling for all Yalies to band together to “save [their] campus from Brown’s forces” in the Go Cross Campus 2008 Ivy League competition.

For the uninitiated, Go Cross Campus is a webgame akin to Risk, in which teams compete for regions and territories on a global and/or national scale.

During the last couple of weeks, the eight Ivy League universities have been locked in the heat of battle fighting for each other’s turf, but only Brown, the current leader, and Penn have made any significant headway conquering territories.

And now, it appears Yale is the next Ivy in line to fall, as Brown has begun mobilizing its forces for an all-out assault.

Good luck, Yalies. You’re going to need it.

As for those at Brown, congratulations on finally finding something you’re better at than Harvard.

UCLA Student Licks Blonde College Girl

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:12:45 EDT

Does this blonde college girl like being licked by the be-capped young UCLA chap? Her expression is so difficult to read...

CU Boulder Girl Confuses Boobs for Huge Tasty Snacks

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:05:25 EDT

With a brain full of equations and Hegelian dialectics, it's easy to get confused. That's why we believe this CU Boulder girl seemed to think her girlfriend's boobs were huge tasty snacks.

Big game looms large... But NOT Riot-sized LARGE

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:56:40 EDT

For anyone coming to East Lansing this weekend, you can expect one helluva wild football scene. The Michigan State Spartans footballers, ranked #17 by the nation’s coaches in the latest USA Today poll, stand at 6-1, and undefeated at 3-0 in the Big Ten conference. They host arguably the biggest game in the past five years, or more, when annual title-contending Ohio State arrives for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. The Buckeyes, ranked #11 in same poll, are also undefeated at 3-0 in the conference.

But, let’s not make this game culturally more than it is. Actually, I would argue that this game is no larger than last year’s match up against archrival Michigan Wolverines. Why? Because Michigan is the most hated rival of all teams MSU faces annually... We hate Michigan, and so does our coach. And, because the Spartys haven’t knocked off the Wolverines in six consecutive tries dating to 2001. Well, this year, MSU plays Michigan in Ann Arbor, so it is reasonable to assume the Ohio State game is the most significant home game of the season. It is. There is no denying it. And, our success at 6-1/3-0 and national ranking adds prominence to the game.

But, OSU just doesn’t have that arrogant swagger of Michigan that oozes hatred. MSU-OSU is a marquee game that can vault Michigan State to national significance, moreso than if the Spartans beat a poor Michigan team next week. But, if you held a gun to my head and I had to choose who I’d rather beat... without a second thought, I’d want to beat Michigan, no matter how bad they are, no matter what year. (Of course, we can beat both, but IF forced to choose...)

The hatred for Michigan football among the Spartan faithful is the strongest component of the cultural divide between the schools. It’s the Spartans’ need to feed that divide, to feed the contempt, that leads to heightened interest and excitement about playing the Wolverines. And, it is heightened excitement, combined with a late kickoff that fuels excessive alcohol consumption, that could fuel the Riot Quotient to “Danger” levels.

Ohio State doesn’t feed that divide, and thus falls short of the perceived need to riot. MSU-OSU on the gridiron ain’t MSU basketball advancing to the Final Four. It isn’t a big-assed Cedar Fest party. And, it sure as hell isn’t a victory over Michigan football. The riot scene is so old-school here at MSU and it is so unnecessary, and I just don’t see this weekend’s game rising to the danger levels. I hope not. Let’s just beat the crap out of ‘em and enjoy the victory...

Round 3! Ready!? Eh, I Guess So...

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:11:21 EDT

Debate number 3 is tonight and I’m not anticipating any major change in debate strategy from either candidate. Analysts have even pointed out that debates have never really affected perceptions of the participating candidates, except for the obvious example of the JFK versus Nixon debate. Even then the resulting victory for JFK was based mostly on his presentable appearance versus Nixon’s Droopy Dog impression and not necessarily the issues. So why should we watch tonight? For the hope of something different happening, perhaps a better look at the character of each candidate.

We already know where each candidate stands on the issues. Obama rejected the Iraq war from the beginning and Sarah Palin would get off if he would admit that the surge worked. Actually he already did, but she’ll get to continue her unjustified attacks, because she’s just an amazin’ little barracuda and is above the scrutiny of good ole gotcha journalism.

We also know that McCain wants to stay in Iraq until the region is stabilized and has Obama right where he wants him.

Really? You want him ahead in the polls?

But what hasn’t been highlighted very much in this election is some of the political moves made by each candidate earlier in their careers.

Last night, PBS aired their Frontline episode entitled The Choice, a biographical look at the candidates. One area I’d like to see explored - which was mentioned in the documentary about Obama - is his move to enter the Trinity United Church. Now I’m not asking for that Rev. Wright nonsense to come back again, but I am curious as to why he joined that church. The PBS program looked at the possibility that Obama joined the church simply to get in with a blacker crowd to combat his not black enough image. I’m not quite sure how this could be proven, but if he did join a church merely for political gain, it would certainly contradict his claim that he is a different kind of politician.

The documentary went on to look at McCain’s complete flip-flop on agents of intolerance. Back in the days when McCain actually was walking the walk of the Straight Talk motto he loves oh-so-much, he called Jerry Falwell an agent of intolerance. I think it’s safe to say that a man – if you want to call Falwell that – who blamed 9-11 on “…the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians…” was the king of agents of intolerance. Then why would McCain later agree to give a commencement address at Falwell’s Liberty University in a heartbeat? The answer seemed to point to political gain and making nice with his Republican party. I would like this to be explored more than it has, because if he really is the maverick that will go against his party, then why did he get down on all fours for Jerry Falwell of all people? The question has been asked before, but McCain made the typical move of any politician and side stepped the question.

I doubt that any insights into Obama and McCain’s previous political moves will be examined tonight, unfortunately, unless you count rallies in which McCain simply inquires “Who is the real Barack Obama?” and then is shocked to find his supporters saying they’re scared of him because he’s an Arab terrorist.

No, I’m sure we’ll see more of the same – no pun intended. But hey! It’s Wednesday night and there’s nothing good on TV anyway. So at the very least I’d suggest leaving the debate on in the background in case something new actually does happen. Either that or go to dollar drafts over at Skippers.

University of Oregon Gets in the Presidential Debate Spirit with Catatonic Gaze, Flag, and Tequila Shots

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:10:12 EDT

Sometimes the political rhetoric and state of affairs gets so frustrating, all that's left to do is get shitty on tequila and space out.

FSU Aims to Minimize Marijuana Offenses for Students

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:04:02 EDT

Currently, the punishment for being caught with possession of marijauna at FSU is the loss of financial aid and potentially having it placed on your permanent record. A first time offense for possession of alcohol, however, is only a potential written arrest, sometimes even just a slap on the wrist.

Consider: About 1,400 student deaths occur each year in the U.S. due to alcohol poisoning. On the other hand, two organizations on campus, NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and Students for Sensible Drug Policy, argue that marijuana is dangerous only when abused yet safe in small amounts.

These 2 organizations would like to equalize the punishments for first time pot offenses, making marijuana policies the same as current alcohol policies.

Today students have the opportunity to vote on the issue along with the SGA elections. The best part is that you don't even have to go on campus to vote. You can do it online here.

UMD Alumni Watch: Kanye West is "the black Larry David"

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:41:24 EDT

Larry David, co-creator of Seinfeld, creator of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, and super-awesome University or Maryland alum, apparently has an admirer and it's Kaye West. Kanye developed a pilot for a new show for HBO that has been created in the mold of Curb Your Enthusiasm. The improvised show stars Mr. West and was directed by Larry Charles (not to be confused with Larry David).

However, don't get too excited because this new show isn't all it's cracked up to be. In an article on RollingStone.com

Charles implied the improvised show has been shelved, though a pilot has been shot. “What Kanye West said to me the first time, he said, ‘I’m the black Larry David,’ ” Charles said. “[The new show] was really good, but again I think it was too hardcore for HBO. … HBO doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to black shows and I felt like that may have had something to do with it also. I don’t see a lot of shows about that experience at all.”

Kanye is "the black Larry David" huh? I'll give him the fact that he has personal characteristics that are very similar to Curb's fictional Larry David. They're both very over-the-top, exaggerating, quick to upset, and funny. Maybe this could be pretty sweet. Also, I can't figure out what the show being "too hardcore for HBO" entails. Did he took this concept and go completely over the top with it?

Will this show ever see the flashing lights of day? Who knows?

I wonder what Larry thinks about this whole thing? Maybe he'll do an episode about it with the Loretta and Leon Black.

Until then, we can brainstorm names for it. Curb Your Arrogance? Curb Your College Education?

Assaulting Member of Michigan Hockey Team Makes Football Player Feel Better

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:40:42 EDT

Steve Kampfer, a junior defensemen for the Michigan hockey team (And a 4th round draft pick by Anaheim) was assaulted early Sunday morning. The leading suspect is redshirt junior running back Mike Milano, who grew up on a farm in Pepperidge. Milano walked onto the football team in 2007 after wrestling for his first two years at Michigan. The cause of the altercation is unknown, but a witness reported seeing Milano pick Kampfer up off the ground from behind and body-slam him to the pavement, knocking him unconscious.

This was the night after we lost to Toledo. Why in the hell is a 4th string football player going Captain Insano on one of the best players on a Michigan team that actually wins games? Coach Berenson said Kampfer will be out of the lineup for “a while” and is missing classes to recover from the injury. Doesn’t Milano realize that having an elite hockey team protects the football team from ridicule in the off-season? The more time people are talking about the Hockey team, the less time they have to think and b*tch about the way this season went. Have this chump turn in his jersey, WWF tryouts are that-a-way.

Would You have Chosen Fifteen Seconds of Fame, Brown?

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:26:31 EDT

Yesterday I blogged about the tragedy I witnessed unfolding before me on the way to work, but I don't think I mentioned that as soon as I got home that evening, I contacted the news station WPRI: Eyewitness News about the videos I had taken of the event. I heard back from the station almost immediately, and they asked me to send them the videos. Their news anchor called me as well, and asked me if they could "come over and talk to me" about the incident. I said no.

I figured I didn't need the fifteen seconds of fame (you don't get fifteen minutes anymore, did you know that?). I hadn't been involved, I had just missed the heroics of the passing stranger who pulled everyone from the people safely, and I didn't want to be on camera. Still, it was exciting to know that I could have been on the evening news, and equally as exciting to know that I had the power of refusal.

Still, I did feel a thrill when I turned on the TV last night and saw a brief clip of the videos I'd sent and a blurb saying that my "new exclusive live footage" would be on the news after the break. I called my boyfriend and my friends to tell 'em to turn on the news, and there it was, the video I'd taken on the fire. How exciting!

I was glad to see the story get some press, but I hope that the people involved are able to find new home easily, as well as get new material goods right away. I feel so sorry for the girl in the white towel who has, literally, just the towel on her back. And the new mom-to-be with her little son who cried about the smoked pouring from the house? I hope they've found somewhere safe to stay to recover from the shock.

It seems many people's lives have been touched by fire. When I got to work, I discovered that a student from the school had died recently in a house fire. Later, when discussing the story with my roommates, I learned that another friend of ours had lived in a house that burned down when she was very young. My roomie told me how they'd come back, several days after the fire, to discover that their house had been completely looted and everything recoverable had been stolen. Now, I understand why the moving vans had been called so quickly at 38 Bridgham Street.

How sad is that? Not only have these people had their lives turned upside down in one terrifying instance, but they've had to worry about everything salvagable being stolen. We live in a sad world, folks.

Okay, I know this is a downer, so I promise to write about something more upbeat next time...

Seven Columbia Students Assaulted Near Campus, Public Safety Elects Not to Alert Student Body

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:25:45 EDT

Early Sunday morning, “a group of five to seven black males ranging in age from 20-25 years old” assaulted seven Columbia students— five of whom were Asian—in the span of fifteen minutes.

According to the Columbia Department of Public Safety, only one of the victims was robbed during the attack, but all of them sustained physical injuries, including two who required stitches.

Instead of immediately sending an e-mail alert to the entire CU community, however, Public Safety elected to keep quiet about the incident. The only students who received an alert – at the time of this article's publication – were those enrolled in the Law School and Barnard.

Why keep quiet? Don’t all students deserve to know when a spree of assaults occurs right outside the protective gates of their campus?

To make matters worse, Marjorie Cohen, executive director of the Westside Crime Prevention Program, suggests that the victims might be to blame.

The Columbia Spectator reports:

Though she cautioned against “blaming the victim,” she said often students are “are not paying attention when out walking.”

“The cell phones and the iPods are a problem because people are just not concentrating,” Cohen said.

No, you’re wrong. It doesn’t take much concentration to see seven men approaching you, so that isn't the issue.

Clearly, the attackers had an agenda, and no amount of attentiveness was going to stop them.

Will Obama's performance disprove the Ayers rumors?

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:27:44 EDT

Will Obama survive McCain's attacks about Ayers? Will McCain be able to avoid the economy? We'll have to wait and see what kind of dance they both preform at tonight's debate. see: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/us/politics/15poll.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin for more info.

Ladies and Gentlemen - Karl Rove!

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:07:12 EDT

Karl Rove is coming to campus on November 3, the night before the [insert grandiose adjective here] Presidential election. Last night, Treasury approved an “emergency” $35,000 appeal to bring the ex-Bush Chief-of-Staffer to the Lou. If you’re just now hearing about this, it’s because the appeal was brought up too late to make it into StudLife. Suspicious? Not at all!

You may recall that College Republicans paid about the same price last year to bring former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to Wash.U., which incensed many students and community members. His rather uninspiring rags-to-riches, anyone-can-do-it story/speech happened in the midst of an all-out protest, with people in orange jumpsuits and black hoods as the proverbial cherry on top. CPC paid Margaret Cho a similar amount of money, which, if I recall correctly, was also hotly contested. Hopefully one day student groups will learn that not everyone wants to hear their speakers as much as they do and that they should just donate their money to WILD. I wonder how many students would go see Karl Rove over Kanye West if they had the choice.

Rove will be speaking in Graham Chapel – more details as they become available.

Baaack to Classes, Penn

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:07:07 EDT

I've already bitched and moaned about midterms, so I won't do it again -- have a great day back!

What's a Yalie Doing in Ohio?

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:51:41 EDT

Canvasing for -- no, with! -- Obama.

Friedman: friend or foe?

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:37:50 EDT

Today in the Ida Noyes Theater, students packed in for a faculty-student round table regarding the naming of the Milton Friedman Institute. The speakers aimed to answer the question "to what extent will the Institute reflect the views of Friedman?" and finally expanded the discussion to include students who are, in fact, also associated with this institution.

Such a full house you'd think they were giving something away! And in a sense, I suppose they were. An opportunity for students to ask questions and at least voice an opinion about the naming of this new economic center which will include faculty from Econ, the GSB and the Law school. Faculty from across the board and on both sides of the Milton Friedman spectrum made speeches and debated including James Heckman (economics), Lars Hansen (economics), Melvin Rothenberg (Mathematics), Marshall Shalins (Anthropology) and Yali Amit (Statistics).

The Maroon got there two cents in last week about the Institute and their publication of certain faculty members' protest against Friedman actually spurred and expanded the debate to include students.The question now is: so what's the problem with Milton- shouldn't we just honor this deceased this former faculty and Nobel (and basically every economics award ever) winner? Well... it's not quite that simple, especially for over 100 faculty members here (who signed the position) and protesters/anti-Friedman thinkers around the world. Friedman was quite a polarizing figure in life, his economic theories and conclusions, almost unanimously viewed as brilliant, also sparked (and still currently sparks) anger as some believe(d) he was pushing an ideological and political agenda through his economic policies. Clearly, with all this "unwavering" support for the Friedman Institute, he's not doing much better in death...

Tomorrow for the first time in a decade the (administrative) Senate is meeting behind close doors to decide whether the naming and dedication of the new economic facility will indeed recognize Friedman. Students squished in for several hours this afternoon, listening attentively to the pros and cons detailed by the faculty members and raising their own points. But despite discussion, at this point all we can do is wait for tomorrow after the Senate to know whether or not, what professor Sahlins asked: "will we all become Chicago Boys?"

I Thought the Weiner Mobile Was an Urban Myth

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:10:01 EDT

Looks like I was proved wrong.

The Leopard and Blonde. Who Wins? Everybody...

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:50:00 EDT

This shit got weird....

Witchcraft Lures Us North of NYU

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:37:42 EDT

My old roommate/best friend and I have been working on some art and research based on the different aspects and sects of witchcraft and one of her teachers recommended we make our way to Spanish Harlem to check out the House of Candles. Definitely one of the best day trips I've taken in ages. Not only is the store itself fantastic but its inexpensive and sells some really gorgeous, authentic Santaria accouterments. For anyone curious about the religiously supernatural, I'd suggest a visit.

An Emory Student's Experience With Asian Religious Traditions and His Fascination With The Professor's Eyeballs

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:09:07 EDT

Asian Religious Traditions is shaping up to be one of the best classes I’ve ever taken at Emory. The professor is out of her mind . . . and awesome. On the first day of class the professor told us that we going to be trying out experiential education. She said that she had spent her whole life in special experiential schools, and was a “child of the sixties.” I knew then that I was in for a treat. The class is divided in two. The first half of the semester we are studying Hinduism and the second half of the semester we’ll be studying Buddhism. I think she's a Buddhist convert. Every now and then, the professors eyes seem to pop out of her head - she's real excited to be teaching this course.

Within the second week, we had already tried practicing yoga in class. It was pleasant being able to see my classmates stretch into positions that I thought were reserved for very close friends. Our professor was trippy as hell. I think I saw her eyes roll back into her head a few times during the session. Yea, her eyes are crazy. She definitely tried a lot of drugs in her lifetime. We had a fieldtrip last week when we went to a Hindu temple. Highlights included the priest feeding me a banana and holy water. I was supposed to drink it, but I promptly spilled all over my shirt. The priest thought it was funny; he bobbled his head at me – which according to the teacher was a “Hindu headnod.”

This week our professor is showing us how to do traditional Hindu dancing, that’s bound to be a good time.

Class Sizes Decrease as the Week Continues at Baylor

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:01:48 EDT

Fall Break is fast approaching. This means several things, one of which being smaller class sizes on Wednesday and Thursday. Take me for example, I only have one class on Thursday, which I will conveniently miss so I can go home Wednesday afternoon. Life is good. Others may not go home, but will still choose to play hookie in order to catch up on sleep, sleep through a hangover, or just plain not go to class.

Some professors try to alleivate these smaller classes by threatening students with quizzes. Totally in vain. Other professors, aka the heroes of Baylor's faculty, realize that students skipping class is inevitable and still choose to hold class, but expect empty chairs. Better, but not the best. Lastly, there is a small percentage of professors (this group will get larger the day before Thanksgiving break) who are the gods of the Baylor faculty. They do more than just expect students to skip, they help us out by altogether cancelling class. Hallelujah! (And I can say that because we're a private Baptist institution).

So here's the deal, if you have professor A, suck it up and go to class, only skip if you had waaaaay more than the legal limit the night before. If you have professor B skip and get notes from someone else. If you have Professor C you're the envy of all your friends and need to shut your mouth.

Breaking News: Lawrence Wilson's Season Over

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:57:42 EDT

Lawrence Wilson is not a lucky man. After spending almost all of last year to a broken leg, Wilson got the news today that he would again be riding the pine for much of this season.

During the game Saturday against Purdue, Wilson went down with an injury. Doctor's confirmed today that his ACL has been torn and he will miss the rest of the season.

Wilson was a strong contender to be one of OSU's top defenders. Though he worked within a platoon of defensive linemen, Lawrence racked up 18 tackles, a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery this year.