College OTR

Tallahassee Celebrates OcTOGAfest

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:07:11 EDT

Theta Chi's holding their annual Octogafest toga party this Friday at 10 at Potbelly's & it's going to be a crazy night. This is the perfect chance to dress in a sheet and have your own infamous "Toga! Toga!" Animal House moment.

ASU Girls Show Sharing is Caring, Pass Cigar Along and Spread Legs

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:57:50 EDT

Life is all about balance, whether that means combining a stretching routine of balance ball straddles and smoking cigars or ensuring a balance distribution of cigar smoke between two ladies.

UC Davis School Girls Play War Together, Manhandle Guns

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:45:55 EDT

These UC Davis girls took a note from Britney and a note from Sarah Palin. We'll say a Hail Mary if we run into them in a dark alley.

Miami Has Turned Blue, So Why Not Brown, Too!?

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:17:10 EDT

The Miami University campus has traditionally been filled with supporters of the Cincinnati Bungals. But after the Browns' spanking of the defending Super Bowl champs New York Giants by a final of 35-14, the campus is looking awfully brown this morning.

Yes, the Bungals seem to be the favorite of the campus with Cincinnati being the closest city to Oxford, but I'm going to make the pitch for turning it into a Browns campus. If the College Dems could change Miami into a blue campus, then I think I can change football persuasions.

Bungal fans like to make the argument that they have a better history than the Browns for whatever reason. They'll cite their Super Bowl victory as proof, because the Browns haven't had one. Well before they changed the name of the championship game, the Browns had 4 championships in the Jim Brown era winning in 1950, 1954, 1955 and the last Cleveland sports championship in 1964. They even had four championships back when they were in the AAFC, but only John McCain would remember that time period (yes, I'm jumping on the McCain he's old! jokes bandwagon, too).

The Browns have struggled with only one playoff appearance themselves since their re-entry into the league in 1999, but that's all the Bungals have, too, since '99. For whatever reason, though, after their playoff loss, the Bungal fans believed the hype, started the ridiculous chant Who Dey! and let their hopes run wild. Well those hopes and dreams have been spiraling down the crapper since, leading to their current win-less record.

So let's go ahead and change Miami into a Browns campus. Derek Anderson is back in form, so it seems, and if he makes it to the end of the season, the Browns will probably trade him to fill in the missing pieces while Brady Quinn takes over.

There's one rule, though, if you join us. Don't believe the hype EVER. Cleveland fans have always had hype surrounding their teams after one good year, then the injury bug hits them. Case in point is the Indians in the ALCS last year, expectations went up, and injuries ruined the first half of their season. The analysts liked the Browns to make the playoffs this year or maybe even win the division, but we Browns fans knew in our hearts that we'd be lucky to get to 8-8 overall with the harder than rigermortous schedule they have.

So don't go crazy with the expectations and simply enjoy being part of the fan club that ESPN has ranked one of the best. Let's turn Miami brown and orange!

UCSB Sorority Girls Pillow Fight Before Pillow Talk

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:11:51 EDT

Many a porn has begun with a humble pillow fight amongst sorority girls and ended in the glory of a job well done.

U-Dub Finds Penis Problems Persists Longer Than Formerly Thought, Lovers Cry

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:00:13 EDT

It’s always best to keep an arsenal of excuses for poor sexual performance, and now University of Washington researchers have provided a new one. In a recent study, U-Dub scientists found that about one-third of trauma patients reported sexual dysfunction one year after the initial injury.

According to Newswise:

Sexual dysfunction is prevalent long after physical injuries from major trauma have been treated and resolved. Nearly a third of patients who had sustained moderate to severe trauma reported some degree of sexual dysfunction, and most characterized the dysfunction as severe, a year after a traumatic event. A total of 3,087 of 10,122 patients who were treated for trauma had sexual dysfunction according to findings from a study reported at the 2008 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons. The study included patients who were treated in one of 69 hospitals from 14 states across the country.

This is one of the first studies to examine sexual dysfunction in trauma patients. “There have been other studies looking at the general prevalence of sexual dysfunction in a demographic population, such as in the state of Massachusetts, and there have been studies looking at patients with specific injuries such as pelvic fracture or spinal cord injury. But there has not been a study that looked at sexual dysfunction in the broad trauma population,” according to Mathew D. Sorensen, MD, MS, a resident in urology at the University of Washington, Seattle.

General and trauma surgeons at the University of Washington decided to conduct the study after hearing complaints about sexual dysfunction from young trauma patients. The surgeons did not expect to find that sexual dysfunction was so widespread among trauma patients, however. “The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in this study was more common than we expected it to be. Overall, the sexual dysfunction rate in this study is about double what it is in studies of healthy patients. And, for patients under the age of 50 years, the rate is about triple. In fact, we found that a moderate to severe traumatic injury imparts a risk of sexual dysfunction above and beyond the risk that may be imparted by known risk factors for sexual dysfunction, such as increasing age, diabetes, and lower socioeconomic status,” Dr. Sorensen said.

The risk of sexual dysfunction in this study was also independent of the type of traumatic injury. “Unlike other studies that have shown an increased risk of sexual dysfunction after specific injuries involving parts of the body that are involved in sexual function, such as the pelvis and spine or genitalia, it appears from our study that just the general occurrence of a traumatic event may result in sexual dysfunction,” Dr. Sorensen said.

So that broken wrist last year? The hairline fracture? Yes, that could be the source of your problems Sir Flops-A-Lot.

Mary Sue Wants to Feed on Aborted Baby Embryos

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:30:10 EDT

Alright, so the title might be a slight stretch, but how many interesting ways are there to bring up Proposal 2? Mary Sue Coleman spoke the other day supporting the proposal and the positive effects it could have for the state of Michigan as well as the University. Some of you may be asking “Wait, Proposal 2? Didn’t we shoot that down two years ago? Are unborn babies looking for affirmative action now?” No, coincidentally enough Proposal 2 on this year’s ballot has been among the most talked about, similar to the affirmative action Proposal 2 in 2006. I apologize to those who care more about medical marijuana (Proposal 1) than stem cell research, your day will come. But let’s take a look at the writing:

A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO ADDRESS HUMAN EMBRYO AND HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH IN MICHIGAN

The proposed constitutional amendment would:

• Expand use of human embryos for any research permitted under federal law subject to the following limits: the embryos

        – are created for fertility treatment purposes;
        – are not suitable for implantation or are in excess of clinical needs;
        – would be discarded unless used for research;
        – were donated by the person seeking fertility treatment.

• Provide that stem cells cannot be taken from human embryos more than 14 days after cell division begins.

• Prohibit any person from selling or purchasing human embryos for stem cell research.

• Prohibit state and local laws that prevent, restrict or discourage stem cell research, future therapies and cures.

So there you have the proposal, it seems the “would be discarded unless used for research” is a pretty clear indicator that this is a case of one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Oh, and that treasure has the potential to save thousands if not millions of lives, just a slight bonus. For those of you against Proposal 2 because you’re pro-life, well, you may want to rethink what that actually means. If you’re still uncomfortable just think of the embryos as organ donors.

Harvard Student Loses Battle With Cancer, Community Mourns

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:25:03 EDT

Michael “Mikey” J. Friedman, 19, passed away last week after a four-and-a-half year battle with a rare, aggressive type of cancer called “desmoplastic small round cell tumor.”

While the Harvard community mourns the loss, Friedman’s family and friends are taking the opportunity to reflect back on his life and remember all the joy that the aspiring oncologist brought into their lives, as well as the impressive legacy he left behind.

The Crimson reports:

Robert B. Schaaf ’11, one of Mikey’s roommates, described how Friedman once printed 50 or 60 copies of a photo that one of their other roommates found embarrassing and taped them to every possible surface in their suite (and put a couple up in Annenberg). On another occasion, he covered a roommate’s room in miniature green army men.

[…] During a remission in 2005, Friedman was granted a request by the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Rather than opting for a shopping spree, a meeting with a celebrity, or a trip to Disney World, he used the opportunity to found Mikey’s Way Foundation, a charity that raises money to improve entertainment facilities for children undergoing cancer treatment.

OTR sends its condolences to all of Friedman's family and friends, as well as the entire Harvard community.

Friedman will be remembered for years to come, and his legacy will live on through his foundation, which is dedicated to helping children deal with and battle cancer..

How's New Facebook Holding Up?

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:10:48 EDT

The moment New, Scary, Weird Facebook replaced Old, Pretty, Comfortable Facebook as the website’s prototype, the collegiate world erupted into chaos. Literally, chaos: people were freaking out, trying to find secret codes that would get the old format back, and holding personal strikes against the website.

However, now that we are a few weeks removed from the 8.9-level catastrophe on the Cyber-Richter Scale, I think everyone would admit that they’re holding up just fine. If the format switch is not a legitimate psychological experiment testing how much people hate change, I don’t know what is (sorry, psych is on the mind – see previous post).

Now that we’ve accepted New Facebook into our homes and hearts, it’s not as horrific as we first thought. Sure, the two pages are fundamentally, visually, and morally different, but is one truly superior to another?

This may be hard to comprehend if you’re not a Facebook junkie, but try to stay with me here: for one, New Facebook uses tab to separate the Wall, Info, Photo, and Box (such a vague subtitle, by the way) parts of your profile, whereas Old Facebook categorized Mini-Feed and Wall as separate boxes on the same page. Old Facebook only featured the friends in your primary network on the left side of your page, whereas New Facebook clumps all your friends together (a plus when you want to stalk people outside your network). Old Facebook scrolled through pictures vertically, while New Facebook does so horizontally – that one was a real kicker.

So, what does everyone think? Are you all managing to survive with New Facebook, or does Old Facebook still haunt your dreams? Do you even remember what the old format looked like?

Virginia Tech Class of 2010's Ring Premiere

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:35:35 EDT

The Class of 2010 revealed their class ring during ring premiere on October 6th in Burruss Hall. Ring Premiere is one of Tech’s longest traditions, dating back to 1912, and is one thing that sets Tech apart from other universities. We’re one of the three schools our size to have class rings redesigned every year.

The Class of 2010’s Ring Committee began brainstorming the ring design months in advance. The ring traditionally has a university side that has elements that have been on the ring since it was first designed.

Burruss Hall is located right in the middle of the ring with the eight pylons surrounding the building, above a screaming eagle. On the right side of the wings is the Virginia’s state flag, and the American flag to the left. The school's motto, 'Ut Prosim', is placed above the flags. Below Burruss Hall is the April 16 memorial and the phrase, “We are Virginia Tech” is written. The school's date of establishment, 1872, is included as well as the Skipper cannon, flaming VT and Holtzman Alumni Center.

On another side of the ring, there is the Hokie Bird. Surrounding the Hokie Bird are a bunch of downtown buildings. And in the background are the Appalachia mountains.

What makes the Class of 2010’s ring unique and different from any other previous class ring is the Hokie bird also has a remembrance ribbon and one of the buildings in downtown Blacksburg has 'Beat UVA' written along the side. And up in the sky there are eight stars to represent the eight students from their class who were lost on April 16th, but will never be forgotten.

The middle section of the ring displays athletic landmarks at Tech such as the North End Zone of Lane Stadium, with the words “ACC” written above it, to remember the football games. There is also Cassell Coliseum to remember the basketball games as well as a soccer ball and softball.

The bottom section of the ring includes landscapes and different parts of campus such as the Drillfield, Duckpond, and Cascades. The Ring Committee wanted to put these elements on the ring to remind the Class of 2010 their stay at Tech, a home away from home.

Overall, the class of 2010’s response to their ring design has been very positive. .And the ceremony ended with a fireworks display on the Drillfield.

Terrapin Tuesday Theme Day: Week Two

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:17:36 EDT

For the second installment of Terrapin Tuesday Theme Day, I bring you...

“Hanson & Manson”
From pop to industrial rock, this party idea puts the bop in Mmmbop and will give you front row seats to a Dope Show.

Description: Unlike its predecessor, Field Hockey Players & Dragon Slayers, this party theme idea has no gender requirements. In fact, gender is pretty much irrelevant when it comes to these two. The brothers Hanson, with their long flowing, feminine blond hair and prepubescent high-pitched voices aren’t really saying much for their masculinity. In that light, with his fake boobs and androgynous white body suits, neither does Marilyn Manson. Who knew Hanson and Marylin Manson were so alike?

Hanson:
Dress Code - Girlie, blond wig and stereotypical nineties gear; including vans or air walk sneakers and a shirt that is three sizes too big (v-neck optional).
Bonus Points – Anyone who comes on rollerblades or keeps some pogs (at least a 8-Ball slammer) in their pocket throughout the night.

Manson:
Dress Code – Gothic eyeliner, black clothes, things that make you look androgynous.
Bonus Points – Wearing that white body suit he wore in the music video for The Dope Show.

Drinks: Mansinthe (Marilyn’s own brand of absinthe) and Tequila Mmmboppers (your classic tequila popper but with a topical name).

Location: Anywhere – dorms, Knox/Hartwick towers, New/Old Leonardtown, Frat Row…

Music: self-explanatory.

Facebook Invitation Artwork: View here.

If you embrace this theme, you will have an awesome and, inevitably, sexually ambiguous night... plus you get to chase the nineties. Sidebar: in case you were wondering, the word “pog” is not in Word’s spell check dictionary.

Girl "Hiding" Under Covers

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:41:14 EDT

Where is his hand and her head? Or better yet, is he asleep or at the peak of his night? Hmmm....

Michael Jackson Cover Band Plays At Emory Homecoming Ball, Cue The Crotch Grabbing

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:18:52 EDT

This year, Homecoming Ball took place on Asbury Circle. Asbury Circle has become the center of campus recently, where the most students can be seen at any point during the day. In the past, the Homecoming Ball has been on the quad, however after getting complaints from girls about how their high heels were getting stuck in the grass, we decided to make a change.

A giant tent was erected over the old traffic circle, and a second tent was built to the side of the circle nearest the Emory hospital. Little known fact: Emory students will never see a stage facing the hospital because it is school rules that all concerts must face away from the hospital.

The Student Programming Council, the student body that puts on campus’ largest parties, hired both a Michael Jackson cover band as well as the top 20 DJ RJD2, to play at the ball. Around 10:30pm students began to pile into the traffic circle, crowding around the stage. The Michael Jackson band rocked the house. People were screaming at the top of their lungs and grabbing their crotches, Michael Jackson style. RJD2 was a big draw for the students that attended the ball, however I don’t think he was as good as the cover band. In any case, there were about 1000 students in attendance and everyone had a great time.

UGA's Dawg Walk

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:02:44 EDT

Well the game wasn't the prettiest, but the Dawg Walk is always a cool experience.

Best Juicy Campus Posts at Boston University

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:41:34 EDT

So I never really caught on to the Juicy Campus thing, mostly because people don't care enough about my social life to post about it online, so I was not fortunate enough to know what went on on the glorious website that is Juicy Campus.

Today I took a couple minutes to learn more about the noteworthy people that I've missed out on at Boston University.

The following are direct quotes from the website (I have changed names out of respect for those being posted about):

Topic: "Guys who flaunt how much money they have"

Best Reply: "... Says the poor person. You shoulda gone to state school!"

-Not hysterical, but pretty funny that people took the time to write about this. It's kind of funny because there are a lot of toolbags that flaunt their parents wealth, but at the same time it's true--it's Boston University.

Topic: "Where is the best place to have sex on campus?"

Best Reply: "what a toolish tread...why don't you get a sock and some KY you
stupid cock sucker. no one is ever going to love you but your
whore of a mother."

-This person was just trying to have a little sexual bonding time, reminisce about that time they banged out on Nickerson field with people watching from the smoking balcony. Forgive the person who is just trying to boost their self esteem a little by seeing that people have "got their D wet" in more embarrassing places and mister pessimist had to come in and rain on the parade.

Topic: "who is this?"

Subject: "ok so about a week ago me and a few of my friends got really drunk at a
frat party and we needed help getting back to west. this one guy actually
walked us home and i wanted to thank him but all i can remember is that i
think his name was "jim" and he was asian and like really big does anyone
know this kid"

Tags: asian "jim"

Replies: Not really that important.

-The fact that somebody used this to thank this kid for walking her home is funny as shit. What is this Craigslist missed connections?

Topic: "Hot RAs"

Best Reply: "MATT GROSS. I would do him AND his girlfriend. 11B WARREN."

-Hahahahaha--did a guy or girl write this?

Topic: "Lisa Silver"

Best Replies (Too many good ones): "loves it up the bum. takes it like an anal queen. its better than
that loosey goosey pussy too."

Reply #2: "Oh Lisa is a f*cking cunt, I fucked her last semester . . . twice.
Not even good. Though, to be fair, she did finger my asshole."

NYU Film Review: Choke

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:36:14 EDT

The first thing I need to make clear, before I say anything about Choke is that, though I greatly enjoy and admire his stories and his gruesome imagination, I truly despise Chuck Palahniuk's writing. I have read every last one of his works through Rant and I cringe through every page of blatant forced "literary technique" amidst what could have been a great, simple storytelling voice. Beyond that, I think the man is something of a perverse genius and I can respect that. I suppose my problem with Palahniuk is the opposite of the problem I previously expressed having with Sloane Crosley - shes a skilled writer with no creative thought and he is a fantastic creative thinker lacking in writing skills.

THIS WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN AND EDITED THE DAY AFTER THE FILM CAME OUT:

Anyhow, rather than attempt a night of drinking in yet another day of misty NYC weather, I went to see Choke this past Saturday evening. As I just said, I have read Palahniuk's version of the tale and so I was somewhat eager to see it adapted to the big screen - the way I think all of Palahiuk's work would be most affective. Clark Gregg seemed like a weird choice as the director, especially since this was his first try at it, but overall I think he did a rather good job. Its a compelling story, in and of itself, so it would have been hard to really mess it up, but the directorial aspect despite a choppiness in the beginning of the film, went well. What was slightly off was Gregg's writing, however, that strayed far from the disappointing prose of then novel in places and stuck too close to it in others. Where Gregg allowed himself to get creative - in the use of both Nico and Ursula - I think he did a rather good job of creating the connections in dialogue and action that Palahniuk struggles with. But in scenes like Victor's first attempt at sex with Dr. Marshall or the zoo flashback, Palahniuk's poor character exchanges seeped too deep into the scripting and felt just as forced and unnatural to the characters on screen as it did on paper. Not to mention, Gregg's dialogue is rarely funny, though it is clear where he means it to be. What did work, comedically, were a lot of the situations and so this doesnt really take away from the film too much but it is apparent and slightly awkward for, us, the audience to feel where we were meant to be laughing at certain line, but just werent.

My biggest confusion, though, was Anjelica Huston's performance. At times she was incredible as ever, emotional and riveting and who would expect less? She is a timeless actress with many great roles under her belt. One of my favorites, even. But, and Id like to blame this on the writing, in other moments she wasnt even remotely believable as a psychotic, erratic, senile old woman. For one thing, she looks impeccable throughout the entire movie. I guess I dont know too many loony old ladies but the ones I do know dont have flawless hair, pinned back and kempt, and they arent nearly this witty or lovable. As I mentioned before, the biggest fault in the film is the zoo scene. The whole thing is presented completely ridiculously - and not in the kind of "ridiculous" that was being attempted - and Huston's dialogue is atrociously written and delivered. I wouldve rather not had that bit in the movie at all, thats how much it detracted, affecting my viewing experience even days in the future, just a sour taste in my mouth.

That isnt to say that most of the other characters werent great. Sam Rockwell never disappoints and played the lead of Victor without even so much as a glimpse of breaking character. I loved to hate him in The Green Mile and hes only continued to prove himself between 1999 and now. Plus, he cleans up spectacularly in his personal life. Kelly Macdonald, who I loved in No Country For Old Men played a similar role in both films - that of a docile but semi-intelligible girl of mediocre angelic looks that keeps some reckless male protagonist grounded to reality - continued to delight with her unique voice and looks. But the person I was looking most forward to seeing on screen was Brad William Henke, who won my heart as the lonely but honorable neighbor in Me and You and Everyone We Know. He really is a great actor. Perhaps he plays one role over and over, but I love him for it. Hes just so simultaneously adorable and pathetic and heart-wrenching that I do believe it was his performance that stole the show. Alongside Gillian Jacobs as his stripper girlfriend, I enjoyed their plot the most throughout Choke. When he stands up to Victor for her, man, I liked him a lot.

Overall, I wouldnt say Choke was great, but it was certainly entertaining and worth the $12 or so bucks I had to shell out to see it immediately in New York City. I wouldve done a few things differently but that casting was impeccable and I must applaud Gregg for his first work of directorial art. Im just curious as to what Chuck, himself, thinks of it...after all, Gregg does wrap up the ending in a nice little "Happy Ending" package, complete with a Mile High Club ribbon.

Amanda Kofron, Undiscovered St. Louis Gem

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:34:19 EDT

Im notorious amongst my music-saavy friends for unabashedly loving female crooners - i.e. Fiona Apple, Carina Round, Bjork, etc - and so when a St. Louis native pal of mine, who also happens to be one of the station managers and radio hosts at WNYU, was burning me a CD a few months ago, he put three Amanda Kofron tracks on it. She worked with this friends younger brother while recording and he was certainly right to think Id enjoy it. You Will is a specifically incredible track with powerful vocals along with powerful lyrics and a particularly heartwrenching feel to it. She reminds me most of Adele, Columbia Record's big British sensation of the moment, and thats a pretty decent compliment considering how well shes doing. Amanda writes on her Myspace:

I recently looked back on something I wrote in third grade about what I wanted to be when I grew up, it said "I want to be a singer." It was third grade that I knew.

So check her out. Enjoy this song, at least. For college-aged female vocalists, Id say shes doing something a bit more substantial that anyone has yet realized - along the lines of Mirah and Round - and so I bring it to you first. What do you think?

Voorhee's Vocalist

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:59:48 EDT

On your way to Murray Hall, you're likely to pass a gentleman who look like he got lost on the way to Tennessee and decided to stay here instead. Clad in cowboy hat, jeans, and plaid, he sings and strums as the college students rush on by. Sometimes people would stop to chatter with him, but most are too busy to stop and ask him why he picked this place to sing.

I mostly feel envious of him as I run late to class each time, wishing I'm sitting out in the sun with a guitar instead.

Gentrification of our Food, thank you Taco Bell

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:44:25 EDT

EL Moe's Firehouse grill has closed its doors. Never heard of it? Neither had I. Still, this closing of yet another mom-and-pop eatery along Grand River is the latest of umpteen different eateries shutting their doors since I attended Michigan State as a freshman (umpteen years ago). It's a revolving door syndrome in East Lansing that, with the current economy, likely will see no signs of turning.

But this closing speaks somewhat to the dumbing down of American cuisine, the gentrification of the American (or, more likely, Spartan) diet... or just plan bad marketing sense by some owners trying to make it.

If you knew where Taco Bell was on Grand River (near Collingwood Rd, Stonehouse Village... or where I knew it, near the Peanut Barrel), then you know it closed up its shop and moved across the street to the new high rise. But, the city didn't tear down the old building. It sat there, like a boarded up Alamo. Until Moe's took over, I guess. The guy who owns Moe's also owns Sahara's restaurant, a damn fine cultural cuisine on the south side of campus off Hagadorn. But noone came to Moe's. Instead, when Taco Bell moved across the street, people didn't go to the Alamo. They went to the new Taco Bell. Instead of getting better food, serving a local business... the clientele opted for the same thing they could get in International Falls, Minnesota. or, in Laramie, Wyoming. or, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. or, in Atlanta, Georgia. (but not in Mexico).

So much for people's diet. I've seen so many good restaurants (don't know if Moe's was any good) come into East Lansing and leave because of the cut-throat nature of the business and the pathetic palate of our youth, it is just a shame to see another yet put a lock-box on the door. When will the youth try something local instead of opting for same-old fast food?

I would put much of the blame of this on the owner. First off, a "firehouse grill" in an old Taco Bell restaurant isn't really a good idea. That thing should be steamrolled -- it looks the same as any other Alamo-style Taco Bell in America. And, it's run down. Second, opening a restaurant in downtown East Lansing in June when the students leave for the summer is just dumb... you lose your prime customer base. Finally, a complete lack of marketing effort - failing to have any promotion or fail to connect the locals to the cuisine - doomed the cause. The Meridian Township Police uniforms on the walls likely scared the students away....

Still, it would be nice to 86 the Taco Bells of this world in favor of local, fresh food instead of something heated in a microwave, prepackaged off of a refrigerator truck from St. Louis. Sigh. So much for the gentrification of our food.

How Many Girls Does It Takes To...

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:51:36 EDT

... Pour caramel into crockpots? Here a just a few of the Alpha Chi girls at this year's Frisbee Fest.

Chalking Reaches All-Time High At Baylor

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:31:31 EDT

The chalking phenomenon goes beyond announcing different organization meetings and events. Is there a chalking art show in our future?

New to the Area

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:42:00 EDT

Hell yes, Yale.

You now have your own editor for the Yale CollegeOTR blog.

How special do you feel?

Pretty fucking special, I'll bet.

Mom's going to be so proud when you call her tonight.

(Don't forget it's her birthday next week, beteedubs.)

So how did you feel about that YDN today? Pretty funny?

Yeah, it was the joke issue. Didn't you notice?

Well, they tried at least.

So.

Do you like sports?

Yeah, me neither, really.

Um.

How about the weather today?

Exactly. Warm.

Cool...

...

Yeah, I think it's about time I got home.

Test tomorrow. You know how it goes.

What? Oh yeah, see you soon. Around. I'll call you.

The Race to Rent

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:26:23 EDT

Around this time each year, people are seen begging, pleading and even going as far as camping out. No, we aren’t talking about the bums on the street; we are talking about students looking to rent an apartment for their next year. With some of the most expensive real estate in Madison, J Michael & Steve Brown have become house hold names for those who don’t mind indulging in over-priced apartments with over-the-top amenities. The race to rent is as fierce as ever, especially with new buildings such as Lucky as well as old favorites on Langdon Street. So if you are interested in living the life of luxury in a town that most likely didn’t create it, you better get a head start now.

People are doing some crazy things to get their hands on the goods…

If you are looking to live five minutes away from classes and just seconds away from all that State Street has to offer, why not live on the street that houses all the sororities and fraternities on campus. Langdon Street, home of foolishness and frat parties, is also where J Michael decided to build some of his most sought after apartment buildings, such as 619 and 625. These buildings, filled with those who don’t mind spending over $700 a person, will enjoy the luxuries of the location and on-site laundry, as well as bragging rights. With more and more people getting excited about Langdon, the fight for these select apartments has been as fierce as ever. People have been spotted putting letters under doors of certain apartments begging and offering money to seniors who may be moving out. Not only are students providing bribes, they must also pack their bags for a 2 day camp out if they aren’t lucky enough to have someone sign their apartment over to them. With the J Michael system becoming cult-like, giving preference to those already in the JM system, students are on the prowl to make their way in, and up.

Though Langdon Street has its perks, some would rather be away from all the messiness and mayhem Langdon receives on the weekends. Students looking to live further away but in buildings just as nice as those on Langdon are turning to the Equinox and 420 West Gorham, buildings right across from one another. Both of these buildings, furnished and fancy, draw students in each year causing leases to be signed left and right. If you are looking for an apartment unlike any other, attempt to get your hands on one of the penthouses in 420 that offers a sprawling patio and 2 levels of floor space. Now this is what you call over the top; over the top of Gorham, that is.

And just when you thought apartment living couldn’t get any luckier, the 777 hit university and opened its doors this year for those willing to spend close to $1,000 a month per person. Lucky, the building that has merely been a myth until now has its own doorman, floor to ceiling windows, and some of the ritziest kids you’ll ever find. Unlike any other building, Lucky has become like a world of its own, with a food court, maid service and concierge. Sound like a hotel? It pretty much is: a hotel for 20-something students who don’t mind living up high for impeccably high prices. Feeling lucky or feeling broke?

So if you find yourself in the mood to spend big and live it up this year, these buildings just might be up to your standards. From Gorham to Equinox, Langdon to Lucky, these buildings provide it all for those willing to participate in the race to rent.

Smoke Ring: Fail.

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:39:03 EDT

I think he needs a few more lessons. No matter, the blueberry + spearmint tobacco was still a tasty combo...

NYU Student Begs for Money

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:31:13 EDT

While our parents and professors lose sleep over the loss of their retirement funds and life savings that they’ve been watching slowly fade away everyday, most college students aren’t really feeling the effects of this financial crisis. Since most of us don’t have money in the stock market except for maybe a small share here and there (my mommy got me Disney stock to keep my childhood alive!) we don’t really understand how bad the economy is.

But with that in mind, we can still cut back on a few extras and do some things to try to get a little bit of beer money. While erasing those 2 a.m. Taco Bell visits is probably the best for your bank account (and your love handles and/or beer belly) there are other things you can do…like emailing people you don’t know and begging for money!

NYU student Max Stephenson had the right idea when he sent out an email to his friends, relatives, and acquaintances asking for donations for college.

In a heartfelt email begging for tuition money, Stephenson raised over $5,000 in TWO WEEKS!! That’s a better salary than I can even dream of! You must be thinking this kid has to have some rich relatives or something, but that’s surprisingly not it.

He only asked for donations of two dollars and fifty cents. That’s right--$2.50 aka pocket change for most. By sending this email to only 300 people and asking them to forward it, over 2,000 responded and sent money.

Although that $5,000 won’t pay the ridiculous cost of NYU, it’s a start and it’s more than most college students can say they contributed to their college tuition.

25 Townies Attack ND Students Off Campus

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:54:19 EDT

Imagine you're standing outside an apartment complex housing mostly off-campus students, and you see a group approximately 25 townies charge and attack any one standing outside. You should probably visualize the picture above, but times 20, and with more intrinsic-energy-producing fireballs. But seriously, this occurred last weekend at LaFayette apartments, and witnesses say the group of townies was mostly 16-year-old black boys. A handful of Notre Dame kids were assaulted before students took cover inside apartments.

Rumors suspect that this was a part of a local gang initiation, but it's difficult to know for sure. However, it is obvious that the tenuous relationship between Notre Dame students and local residents is getting worse without any signs of improvement. Unfortunately, I don't think there is any chance that similar types of conflicts can be avoided because the hatred of ND students stands on a deep-seeded prejudice toward the privileged members of a higher social class. There's just no changing the fact that some groups of local residents simply look at members of ND as rich, white, conservative pricks.

To quote an Alumni who wrote in the Observer (on a different subject), hopefully the image of Notre Dame doesn't further change "to be a great place to be from, but not a good place to be."

An Ode to the Men of the University of Pennsylvania

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:19:21 EDT

Over the weekend, The Punch Bowl, a student-run comedy blog, flexed their poetic muscles and wrote a three-stanza-long ode in honor of the fine gentlemen enrolled at Penn (no – not Penn State).

While it’s all very tongue-in-cheek, the ode itself utilizes many Ivy League stereotypes as a basic framework for its subject matter, and some would argue that these are all loosely rooted in the realm of reality.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide. And so, here’s the ode in its entirety:

Snaps go out to you, Oh Men of Penn, both Anglo Saxons and Jews alike
It is you I envision as I dehydrate on Pottruck's exercise bike
For this institution is laden with gentlemen hailing from as far as Pittsburgh and New Jersey
I don't care about what my therapist said, for you did not coerce me
In the morn, you put me in a cab on 43rd and Pine
Never offer to pay, but that is a burden that is mine

Not intelligent, but wealthy, since to your trust funds you constantly allude
Cultured and Enlightened, patronize Zates and Castle to go around the world in 80 dudes
An open book, because about yourself you remain vocal
Yet you shy away when we are accosted by locals
Grateful was I, when you took me to La Viola, a moderately expensive act of love
Disheartened I was, when I began to show symptoms of the STD you weren't admitting of

So have pity on me as I trudge to your registered party in hair too bleached and heels too high
Reeling from the fact that to my text message you did not reply
Because Oh Quaker man you keep me coming back like a moth to a light
Been hooked since NSO, when you asked, "You're A Freshman Right?"

On second thought, maybe it isn’t satire – after all.

The Dow Rebounds Like A Scorned Lover, Jumps 936 Points Today

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:49:31 EDT

Finally, some good news. Students tired of eating generic brand tortilla chips and showering less frequently to save on water, will be glad to know the economy is rebounding… at least for now.

Wall Street was celebrating today as the Dow Jones jumped 936 points, the biggest point gain ever. Of course, that bounce came after the doom and gloom of last week, which was the Dow’s worst ever. During that time the stock market declined by 22%, a fall not seen since the 1930s.

But now there’s not only an increase in the Dow, but also an increase in optimism. Investors, a dreary bunch these days, even went so far as to believe the worst of the credit crisis may be over.

The upturn can be credited in part to a series of global initiatives aimed at propping up the international economy. World leaders called an emergency meeting this weekend and 15 European nations agreed to add capital and guarantee interbank lending.

CNN explains what else could have been at work in the spike:

"We saw a lot of desperate selling over the last few weeks and at some point, these stocks start to look attractive," he said.

Previous efforts to get the credit markets moving again had failed to reassure investors, but the latest developments seemed to provide reassurance.

"Seeing that there's going to be more of a global commitment to resolving the financial crisis has given confidence to investors and gotten them to put some money to work," Colarik said.

Thank God. Maybe that will buy us a little time before we have to hear about the “greed and corruption on Wall Street” again from Sarah Palin. It’s the little things that will get us through this crisis.

It's Always A Good Time At Ohio State!

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:48:35 EDT

Apartment Pregaming to celebrate Ohio Stat's Victory over Purdue, OSU vs. Purude Game!

Just in time for Halloween: Purdue as the effing Shining

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:46:16 EDT

It looks like someone is trying to make our school into a D-level movie.

This 2-minute video recently found on YouTube is apparently an attempt to make an admissions-recruiting tool that turned horribly wrong. I guess some sort of disease or zombie infection hit campus and I missed it. Except that it just turns out everyone was just out eating some burgers (no, really, watch the video and you'll get this).

But on second thought, maybe the video's not so bad. Nothing says "great university" like dark creepy classrooms and empty chairs watching Dr. Phil.

Go Green, Go White

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:45:43 EDT

Cheerleaders can make any Monday suck less.

Binghamton Party Scene: OcTAUberfest

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:28:36 EDT

This past Saturday night, Tau Alpha Upsilon invited guests into their house to celebrate the traditional “Octauberfest.” It was truly a fabulous way to embrace this shockingly beautiful Binghamton autumn we’ve been having.

To get us into the spirit, the brothers of Tau served, hands down, the best beverages I’ve encountered at a frat party. The warm apple pie punch and the pumpkin spice punch proved to be great successes as they were completely gone within the first hour of the party. However, quick on their feet, the brothers were able to conjure up a batch of cosmos before a riot broke out. Of course, the Tau signature peppermint patty shots were in full circulation, as well as kegs. Because you know, what would a frat party be without some hardy kegs? Though, the turnout was incredible, so the alcohol didn’t last.

Its always good to change it up a bit when it come to going out, and parties at the Tau house are most definitely the perfect way to do that. They never fail to come up with novel ways to impress the Binghamton partygoers.

Friday night, the bars were raided, and rumors of a Saturday night raid were afloat. Perhaps that’s what brought so many guests.

Sara B. Rocks the Wiltern

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:49:57 EDT

UCLA alum Sara Bareilles performs at the sold-out Wiltern on Saturday night with Raining Jane and Marc Brussard . The singer was a communications major and graduated in 2002. She also won Spring Sing twice while a student.

Survey Shows: BSU Students Would Rather Battle Dark Knight than Save Economy

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:44:12 EDT

A recent survey held by The Arbiter shows that while eight percent of Boise students would use $700 billion to bail out Wall Street, a staggering 35% would rather dress up like the joker and burn the money in a pile.

Over four times as many students would rather burn the money than use it in the bail-out plan. Does that mean we have a campus full of die hard conservatives or anarchists? Personally, I’d rather believe BSU has thousands of radical students, fighting the man every action they take. If this were the case, its fun to imagine some of the scenarios we could end up with on campus.

A crazed engineering student rigs the Micron Engineering Center and Engineering & Technology Building with bombs. Students in both building must listen to Professor Haws’ Ethical Dimensions of Technology lectures until one building compiles a rational justification of blowing the other up.

Students in the Quad must decide to save a Liberal Arts professor or a Math/Geosciences professor. When they go to the building to save the instructor, they find the Lib. Arts professor in the Math building or the Math teacher in the Liberal Arts building.

I’m sure these and more difficult situations would arise if this were the case. Fortunately for anyone prone to being taken hostage, 39% of students did express more interest in just holding out for a better plan. If more people are favoring making an informed, politically and economically important decision than cite pop culture, maybe this society does have a chance.

Then again, the numbers were awfully close.

UF Is Crawling With Playmates

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:42:55 EDT

Just last week, we told you about our Gator girl who might become one of the Girls Next Door. Well, this week more UF playmates are making headlines in our small town.

This Saturday, former UF student Lauren Anderson, along with fellow Playboy playmate, Stacey Fuson, were on University Ave. promoting their 2009 swimsuit calendar. They set up a makeshift outdoor bar outside LAE Tanning & Boutique which Anderson owns.

They were also promoting Foxxy News, an online news service created two years ago by Lauren Anderson Entertainment (LAE) that features Playboy Playmates as the news anchors. Anderson is the main sports anchor. UF really knows how to produce those business-savvy bunnies.

Anderson, who has lived in Gainesville most of her life has some kind words about the city:
"Here it's just a small town where we say 'Go Gators.' I'm definitely more comfortable here."

The video is provided by The Gainesville Sun and here is the original Alligator article about the girls. Let's keep those centerfolds coming.

UCLA Girls Do Body Shots, Are Ogled

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:35:34 EDT

Body shots are the spectator sports of college, and these UCLA girls are trained athletes.

Talk to the Booty

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:27:04 EDT

The PINK sweatpant. Can we talk about this for a second? Because I think it's a fascinating trend that has swept up campuses nationwide, the brightly colored, boldly stated, comfy cotton fashion phenom that cushions our behinds and speaks to the issues of our generation. PINK sweatpants are not merely a cutsie covering for our bottoms but also take on education, politics, and romantic relationships with ingeniously simplified zingers like "Think Green; Live Pink;" "Love Team '87;" and "University of Pink." Finally a form of fashion expression that we can all agree on! PINK sweatpants: get yours or look different.

Hot D.I.Y. Halloween Costumes for FSU Girls

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:25:45 EDT

"Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it" - as stated by Cady Heron (aka LiLo) in Mean Girls

As broke college students we often run into the yearly dilemma of trying to decide whether or not to fork out $30+ for a one-time use halloween costume.

What you may not realize, is that there are tons of costume options just sitting in your closet that involve little to no investment. Here are fives suggestions for D.I.Y. (do-it-yourself) costumes for October 31st:

Paris Hilton: She's been off the radar for a while, but now with her awful new reality show you can rock the Paris look once again.

Materials Needed: tight minidress or That's Hot written on tank with denim mini skirt, stuffed chiuaua dog in purse, oversized sunglasses, cell phone in hand, blonde wig, high heels; valley girl accent optional

Greek Goddess: Comfortable and easy to recreate; think 300 or Gladiator.

Materials Needed: white dress (or sheet that can be tied), gold ribbon to criss cross across front, fake leaves to create wreath for hair, gold lace up heels; curl or scrunch hair

Hula Girl: This outfit puts the last of your summer tan to good use!

Materials Needed: bikini top, grass skirt or green crepe paper to tuck into bathing suit bottoms, flower for behind ear, inexpensive flower lei, flip flops; use tanning lotion for an island glow.

School Girl: A classic that never gets old.

Materials Needed: Plaid skirt, white collared shirt tied in knot, white knee high socks, black patent leather heels, pencil behind ear, apple for teacher; hair in pigtails

Pirate Wench: Be Jack Sparrows saucy counterpart.

Materials Needed: white poufy blouse, black corset, lightweight white skirt or petticoat, knee high black leather boots, eye patch, skull scarf to tie around head; parrot on shoulder for extra effect.

Columbus Day Report: Columbians Stuck in Classes

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:19:14 EDT

The fact that Columbia doesn't let students and faculty have Columbus Day off is ridiculous, and not just because practically every other school and workplace has a holiday today. As some of you may know, Columbia is named after Christopher Columbus. In other words, today is kind of our special day, a university birthday of sorts: we should all have the day off to honor our namesake (or just to relax and/or party for an extra day).

So why don't we get Columbus Day off? Columbia decided to stop recognizing the holiday a few years ago due to protests and lobbying by the Native American Students Association. I'm usually all for political correctness, and I certainly recognize that Columbus had a problematic history for numerous reasons, but Columbia is still named after the guy, and making students sit in class when others have a vacation accomplishes exactly zilch.

While I scramble to finish the reading for my next class, you lucky kids at other schools will have to enjoy the perfect fall weather on my behalf. If you're in NYC, check out the Columbus Day street fair or see the waterfalls one last time before they close -- today is the last day!

Sweet Tea Vodka Introduces Some Charming Southern Nostalgia Into UGA Students' Hard Partying Ways

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:09:00 EDT

Vodka is a quick and dirty way to ride the blackout express, but what if it was also a little homage to the Dirty South? That just may be the idea behind a new type of vodka sweeping the University of Georgia, Clemson and the University of South Carolina.

Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka combines the Southern charm of sweet tea with the wild shenanigans of hard alcohol. The concept is genius: Have students liken getting wasted with lazy days spent with grandma. Because, why not?

Scott Newitt, an LSU alum, and Jim Irvin, a Vanderbilt grad, created the winning combination and launched it this summer. Newitt tells UGA’s Red and Black: "I grew up in the South and drank sweet tea like it was milk." What he failed to mention was that he drank sweet tea like it was milk, but really wished that milk was a strong ass cocktail. Fortunately others don’t have to experience the same sense of deprivation. Interns have promoted it at colleges in the region and the vodka most recently hit Athens, GA.

"I think it's awesome," said Brian Miller, a UGA junior from Charlotte, N.C., in the article. "Sweet tea is my favorite drink and plus alcohol is a winner."

Yes little Brian, alcohol is a winner.