Yesterday rapper Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem, was spotted on an Orange Key tour with his daughter Hailie. "Goodness knows, they grow up so fast!" said Mathers to one of the other parents on the tour. Mathers was polite during the tour, although for a minute it looked like there might be a problem when the tour guide chose to answer another prospective student's question before Hailie's. Mathers started muttering the lyrics to "Bitch Please II" under his breath while the guide explained how she received a 2400 on her SATs. Mathers stayed after the tour to inquire about the University's financial aid policy. "I'm from Eight Mile, where kids don't have a lot. How can I afford to send my daughter to college?" The tour guide explained Princeton's grant based financial aid program before taking a moment to remind the rapper of his status as top selling artist of the decade. "It's a recession, man," said Mathers, before taking out his empty pistol and shaking it around at the ground.
Mathers is one of the candidates under consideration for an Honorary degree from the University this year for his brilliant work on his new album "Recovery." Rumor has it that he may also be the keynote speaker.
-The Blogstressed
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Eminem Takes Daughter Hailie on Orange Key Tour
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Airport Security Measures Across the Globe
The security official took what looked like a long pointy shish-kebab skewer, and repetitively stuck my bag and licked the end of the stick. It dawned on me later that I was being checked for cocaine possession (and smuggling), an issue far more ubiquitous for those leaving Colombia than for anywhere in the United States. The bizarre experience of having my bag made more breathable and less water-proof reminded me of other traveling experiences where I noticed the different airport-security practices than I was used to.
Last year when I was coming home from Egypt, I recalled something particularly peculiar. I had set off the metal detector altogether. Absent-mindedly I had forgotten to take my wallet out of my back pocket. I was not searched, or wanded, or questioned, but rather just sent through to my gate as if nothing had happened. In Israel, the security line is pretty painless. Hats, sweaters and shoes can be worn; the line tends to move very quickly. In Israel, however there is an added component to the security procedure—questioning. Did you pack your bags? Were they with you the whole time? Did you receive a gift? Do you realize the potential threat of a bomb? (They actually use the word bomb in the airport to make sure that everyone is on the same page!)
Different countries deal with their own security issues and therefore have different security procedures to keep people safe. I nevertheless see the huge variation in security measures as interesting and worth noting.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
'05 Alums on a Boat...Their Sex Contest E-Mails Leaked to Jezebel
Robert Huber '05, a State Department employee, Adam Wible '05, and Ian McHenry '05 have been traveling the world in a yacht and having lots of sex. Their e-mail chain, which was leaked to Jezebel, describes their competition to have sex with as many women as possible. The alums make great sacrifices just to remain competitive. For example, in an e-mail sent on Monday, Oct 11, Robert Huber explained his choice to sleep with a particular woman: "the only reason i'm even considering it is because i need to do something to keep my numbers up. sadly, not all of us can slog tiny japanese girls. ok, fine, all of us can, but you have more variety." No wonder Princeton gets a rep for being so competitive. Some may perceive the e-mail chain as racist and sexist, considering its extensive objectification of women and racial profiling. These people may be right. But the scariest issue of all is that this e-mail chain was supposedly private domain. So watch out what you write or forward to "friends" in e-mails, especially if you want to run for public office. Holding this contest via telephone would have been a much better bet.
-The Blogstress
Friday, December 17, 2010
Guilty Pleasures Around Campus
By Morgan Jerkins '14
Since this is the time of the year where one reflects on blessings, I began to think about all the pleasant things that Princeton offers. We have the Writing Center to help us refine our papers, the McGraw Center for academic workshops, and language tables for, you guessed it---foreign language practice. But there are a few guilty pleasures about Princeton that I am more than thankful for:
2. Study Breaks: Every single day there is a study break from Thai food to frozen yogurt to Korean food and much, much, more. Perhaps I am so excited because I am only a freshman but when I talk to friends from other schools, they are green with envy about this generosity. Not only can you fill your stomach but you can also mingle with people that you may not have seen all day—or all week.
3. Princeton Men—Sorry, I had to do it. Even though it has only been two months since my debut blog post, I have matured a bit since then. Patience has taught me a lesson. Now, Princeton dating may get a lot of flack because some guys are considered “cold”, “socially awkward,” “[fill-in-the-blank]”, but I made one great observation during a formal party recently: Princeton men can really work suits. In fact, they can work just about anything. College reviews underrate Princeton guys and paint a picture of homely nerds who are completely detached from reality. Regardless, I am appreciative and grateful.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Sustainable Hypocrisy
Thank you to the Office of Sustainability, once again, for giving me something to laugh about. This time it is for taping posters made of A3 size high quality paper outside of every single person's door in Whitman and Scully who did not have the foresight to respond to an e-mail withdrawing from this otherwise automatic participation in the "Pull the Plug" campaign. Perhaps the green team just got confused and momentarily forgot that its goal is to sustain the environment rather than destroy it while invading dormitories and terrorizing students. I am not going overboard with the terror factor either. The posters threaten that any student who does not pull the plug on their refrigerators and televisions over break will have his or her name plastered on a list of shame in the entry of their dormitory. "All those who do not pull the plug in this hall will have their name listed in the entry way after recess!" Oh goody. I hope they highlight my name in pink because I have every intention of returning from break to a fridge full of cold sodas. Although I will take the time to recycle the poster.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
What Is Left to the Last Minute Only Takes A Minute
By Aaron Applbaum '14
In high school I had the nasty habit of leaving all my long-term assignments to the last possible minute. My work was pretty manageable; I could get away with procrastination and receive the grades I desired. I figured that my habit would naturally dissipate as my academic environment grew more rigorous. Surely, the positive influence of my responsible Princeton-peers would rub off on me and I too could be the diligent student I wished to be. I could not have been more mistaken.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Looking Out for the Little Guy
By Brandon Davis '13
In the context of No Fat Talk Week and other initiatives that tackle our society’s unrealistic expectations for female bodies, I felt it appropriate to address this self-image issue from the male perspective.
It’s been three thousand years since the time of the ancient Greeks, but our society still worships the kouros. Maybe the Greeks had the ideal male right. Maybe we really should be tall, muscular and gruff. But at five-feet, four inches and 125 pounds, I find this Brad Pitt look just as unattainable as a slightly overweight woman might find Angelina Jolie.
I wonder if I’m the only man though who glances at the covers of GQ or Men’s Fitness with hopelessness and helplessness. Men are taught how we should look just as much as women are – Disney teaches girls that they need a prince; Disney teaches boys they have to be the prince. And let’s face it: most of us are no Prince Charming.
Still, the little perks of being little hardly make up for a general feeling of inadequacy. It’s very hard to get any respect when you look like a seventh grader. Not to mention the actual seventh grader’s more serious self-esteem issues.
Our society makes many small prejudices that generally go unquestioned – against extra-buff athletes or tiny, blonde sorority girls in precept, for example. With the mini-controversy this No Fat Talk Week has created, I hope we can expand the debate about body issues and self-image to include the rest of us misfits as well.
Public Safety searches for iPhone bandit
Public Safety is searching for a man who stole an iPhone from a student's room in Wright Hall Monday morning while that student was taking a shower, Public Safety officials said.
The male student left his room at about 9:30 a.m. to take a shower and returned 15 minutes later to find someone leaving his unlocked dorm room with his iPhone.
The suspect is a Hispanic or Latino man, 20-24 years old and was seen wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and brown pants, according to a Campus Crime Alert sent by Public Safety. The man had short hair and was 5’3” to 5’4” tall.
“Detectives are actively working it and hope to get some feedback from the community,” Public Safety Capt. Donald Reichling said in an e-mail.
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Links Between Judaism and African Culture, a Discussion with Rabbi Eitan Webb and Dr. Cornel West
As I sat in Frist 302, I saw Dr. Cornel West and Rabbi Webb walk in together with friendly countenances. I knew that this event was going to involve unity and cordiality. Jacob Loewenstein ’11, the Vice President of Chabad, set the tone with his quirky rules, such as calling out instead of raising hands. Dr. West and Rabbi Webb faced each other for a few seconds until Dr. West took it upon himself to start the lecture. A late-night conversation around a dinner table inspired Dr. West to fully convey how his whole being derives from the “prophetic, Judaic tradition.” Rabbi Webb, his “Jewish brother” represents the wisdom, knowledge, and connection of Judaism.
Not only did I did learn about the idea of catastrophes within the works of Kafka and Shakespeare, the vicissitudes of life, and Yiddish proverbs, I felt enlightened as a human being. I do not need to reiterate how powerful Dr. West and Rabbi Webb are as speakers, but I will write this: I was not just sitting in on a lecture, I was on a journey.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Columbia Professor Arrested for Incestuous Relationship with Daughter
By Lucy Cobbs '14
Cate Edwards '04 to Marry Trevor Upham '03
The couple got engaged after spending Thanksgiving weekend in the Edwards’ home in Chapel Hill, N.C. According to People’s report of a close friend, “Elizabeth was thrilled.”
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Sports Series- Remembering Princeton Sports from the 1950s to the Present
Over the next 10 days, the Prox will be recapping one year in Princeton sports from the 1950s. Why? Well, as we near the end of 2010, why not take a look back 60 some odd years and see what sports looked like before many of our parents were born. We start, unsurprisingly, with 1950.
By Hilary Bartlett '12
Though the tradition of sportsmanship and excellence remains unchanged, Princeton athletics in 1950 barely resemble the Princeton athletics of today. Though certain sports teams like football and basketball were comprised of committed athletes in 1950 as they are today, Princeton also fielded teams in smaller, lesser-known sports on a much more casual basis. In many ways these teams operated similarly to Princeton’s current club sports, which have informal practices and fewer competitions.Sports like polo, riflery, cricket, and box lacrosse cropped gained University support in an era of Princeton athletics defined more by the “casual, all-around sportsman,” than the highly-competitive, single-sport athlete.
1950 marked the first full year of competition for Princeton’s budding rifle team, for example. The squad competed in “postal matches,” according to a 1950 issue of the Daily Princetonian, which means that all firing was done on the team’s home range and results were communicated to opposing teams by mail to determine the winner. Harvard was the only Ivy League school to outshoot the Tigers at the William Randolph Hearst National Rifle Matches, where Princeton placed 18th out of 73.
In more conventional college sports, however, 1950 was a very successful year for Princeton. George Chandler ’51 captained the Princeton Football team to an undefeated season in which Princeton won the Lambert Trophy as the top team in the East and was named the national champion by leading polls. Dick Kazmaier ’52, the future Heisman Trophy winner, was named an All-American for the 1950 season, and Princeton head coach Charles Caldwell ’25 was elected National Coach of the Year.
Men’s basketball won the Eastern Intercollegiate Championship in 1950 and to demonstrate the team’s balanced play, for the first time in history the entire starting line-up won the B. Franklin Bunn Trophy, the annual award presented to Princeton’s most outstanding player. Princeton’s 1950 offense became the highest-scoring unit in school history with 1307 points in 23 games and its five starters were known as the “iron-men” for their strong play.
As I was rummaging through Daily Princetonian archives, I found a letter written to the editor by the “iron men” that requested “the Undergraduate body to refrain from booing opposing teams and referees at basketball games.” Though the level of competition in college sports across the country has increased since 1950 and Princeton itself has moved away from cultivating the “casual, all-around sportsman,” Princeton’s 1950 men’s basketball team exemplifies the combination of athletic excellence and sportsmanship that Princeton will forever strive to instill in its student-athletes, regardless of the decade.
Columbia Drug Bust
By Caleb Kennedy '14
Five Columbia students were recently busted by the NYPD for allegedly running a drug ring on campus. The narcotics task force that brought them down, entitled Operation: Ivy League, alleges that the frat boys sold undercover authorities $11,000 worth of marijuana, cocaine, Aderall, and LSD. Chris Coles, Harrison David, Adam Klein, and Jose Stephan Perez are all 20. Michael Wymbs is 22. Authorities say these deals went down at the Columbia fraternities Alpha Epsilon Pi, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Psi Upsilon. Their specialty was LSD painted onto Altoids and SweetTarts.
The five were arrested this morning for possession of half a pound of marijuana and $2,000 in cash. NYPD also arrested five of the dealer’s alleged suppliers, one of whom allegedly plotted to kidnap and torture rival cocaine dealers.
In response to the drug raid, one Columbia fraternity has updated a posting of their agenda to include "Don't sell drugs out of the frat house,” with a note attached adding, "Adam should have followed this rule."
This comes following the October bust of two 18 year Georgetown students for allegedly attempting to create a meth lab in their freshman dorm and distribute the drugs. Authorities said they found such items as dry ice, ammonia, lighter fluid, and a turkey baster in the room and described the scene as "potentially highly flammable and explosive."
Dear Angela Hodgeman and the Office of Sustainability,
Dear Angela Hodgeman and the Office of Sustainability,
On Monday, December 20th between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.: There is no way in hell University personnel and students will enter my room to do a sustainability survey. The staff will check each room (except mine) for energy savings. All surveys will be visually performed and no personal belongings will be touched. Except for my stuffed animals, which you and your sustainability cronies will probably molest. Furthermore, there will be NO PENALTIES OR FINES for anything visually observed during the survey. Except the trauma my clan of radioactive hermit crabs will feel when you separate them from their mommy. You say my presence will not be necessary during the survey? Well, your presence will not be necessary in my room, thank you very much. Actually, you know what? How's this for a deal. If I let you into my room to judge its sustainability, then you let me into your room to do the same. And have no doubts that I will be judging you personally for each plastic bag, each gratuitous rubber band and can of soda I find in the joint. If you do not wish for me to personally enter your room and adjudicate on your private space, you can opt out. But I hope you don't. Please email iseestupidpeople@princeton.edu - stating your building and room number and that you wish to have your abode skipped over – If you email by 12 p.m. morning of Friday, Dec 17th, I will not enter your room and hide under your bed. If you have any questions, please contact sustainordie@princeton.edu.
Thank you,
The email sent at 10:43 AM on Dec. 9
Subject: Sustainability Audit
This email is being sent on behalf of the Office of Sustainability. Please do not reply to this email.
Dear Undergraduates,
On Monday, December 20th between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.: University personnel and students will enter all rooms in your building to do a sustainability survey. The staff will check each room for energy savings. All surveys will be visually performed and no personal belongings will be touched. Furthermore, there will be NO PENALTIES OR FINES for anything visually observed during the survey. Your presence will not be necessary during the survey. If you do not wish for University personnel and students to enter your room for this sustainability survey, you can opt out. Please email sustain@princeton.edu - stating your building and room number and that you wish to have your room skipped over – If you email by 12 p.m. morning of Friday, Dec 17th, the staff and students will not enter your room for this survey. If you have any questions, please contact sustain@princeton.edu.
Thank you,
Princeton Sustainability Office
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
As Long As It's Sustainable...
Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net
Professors Blame it on the A a a a a alcohol
Personally, I'm all for shooting a few back with my professors. Nothing like a round of Bacardi 151 to take the edge off grade deflation. But Jacques Berlinerblau, associate professor of biblical studies at Georgetown University, stands between Professor West and my game of flip cup. On Dec. 5, Berlinerblau wrote a helpful blurb for the Chronicle of Higher Education, absolutely not based on personal experiences, outlining the dos and donts of professorial drunkenness. He warns his colleagues:
-The Blogstress
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Essay Exchange Attempts a Revolution
By Kash Rajagopal '14
The college application process seems remarkably straightforward: craft your personal statement into a ticket to one of the nation’s most prestigious universities. The essay is a window into your soul…really just a simple litmus test by the ad-coms to ensure you’re sufficiently accomplished, but humble, well-balanced but impassioned. Naturally, your essay should aim to be poignant but certainly never mawkish, and show how you, young wunderkind, have grappled with life’s unanswerable questions. Cheers!For the few that don’t find this request particularly transparent, www.EssayExchange.org provides some clarity. The website serves as an application essay bazaar, where students can learn from successful essays. For a meager $7.50, students can read previous essays accepted by Ivy League schools, Stanford, and MIT. Its founders, Harvard Business school alumni, wanted to “level the playing field” in a world of $40,000 private tutors and test-prep agencies. However, CEO Rory O’Connor wants to inform colleges around the country about his website and collaborate with them to ensure students don’t Turnitin to a plagiarism hotspot. O’ Connor believes his blossoming website may just revolutionize the college admissions process.
All Around the Ivies- A Free Verse Poem
Cornell’s early applicants for the class of 2015 have decreased by slightly less than 4%, breaking the upwards trend.
According to a poll conducted on Brown's campus, 84.1% of students had consumed alcohol and 41.8% of students had tried pot in the last semester.
Smoking is now banned within 20 feet of any university building at Columbia, a compromise from the original resolution that called for a 50-foot ban, and for many senators who supported a full ban.
Yale will be replacing their international studies major with the global affairs major, with a “focus on policy-making and practical experience” which, unlike the old international studies major, will be allowed to stand alone (currently, the international studies major can only be completed as a second major).
For the first time, students at UPenn will not have to constantly log on to Penn InTouch, their version of SCORE over winter break to check grades, but instead will receive them by email. The service is being provided after the undergraduate body unanimously voted to pass a resolution urging the university to institute such a service.
Human developmental and Regenerative Biology, a concentration implemented fall of 2009, is one of the more popular biology majors offered at Harvard, with 95 sophomores and juniors. Biomedical Engineering, introduced this past fall, is less popular with just 13 sophomores.Type rest of the post here
Changing Things Up Since 1650 in the Harvard Corporation
By Catherine Ku '14
The Harvard Corporation, the governing body of the Cambridge school, has added term limits and additional members in the first major reform since its founding in 1650. The changes come in response to faculty and alumni accusations of a lack of communication between the corporation and the Harvard community.According to a report of the Governance Review Committee, the body will increase the number of members from seven to 13 and institute a term limit of six years with a maximum six-year extension. Numerous committees will also be formed from the corporation to expand the “breadth and depth” of particular issues.
While Harvard’s corporation will remain the smallest of that of its peer institutions, the changes will make the it more similar to the other governing bodies.
By comparison, Princeton’s Board of Trustees numbers anywhere from 23 to 40 members with three categories of trustees. The Board elects Charter Trustees and Term Trustees to terms of 10 and four years, respectively while alumni elect 13 Alumni Trustees to four-year terms. A member of the senior class and a Graduate School alumnus are also included on the Board.
The Harvard Corporation’s division into committees reflects Princeton’s current structure. Currently, the Board divides into ten subcommittees, which address issues ranging from student life to university resources. Additional committees are created when the need arises.
Harvard hopes the new changes will lead to increased transparency and flow of ideas between the governing body and the University.
“The fact is that all parts of the University have been asked to look themselves in the mirror, reassess how they might do their job to the optimal degree, and it’s only natural that we should do the same thing,” Corporation senior fellow Robert D. Reischauer said.
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