The Bowdoin Orient
Volume CXXXIX, Number 8
November 6, 2009
OPINION
Moving Forward
Disgust. Disappointment. Blame. After news outlets reported early Wednesday morning that a majority of Mainers had voted "Yes" on Question 1, consequently vetoing the law allowing same-sex marriage, our own outlets of communication were flooded with emotional reactions to the news.
SJB Scholar Eligibility
Two hundred and fifty-three students were honored as Sarah and James Bowdoin (SJB) scholars last weekend. Other than their superlative grades, these students have another similarity: none of them went abroad last year.
Voters affirm that America is not a center-left nation
By JOSE CESPEDES, CONTRIBUTORJust over a year ago, Americans around the country eagerly celebrated the election of Barack Obama to the presidency and the increased Democratic majorities in Congress. The 2008 election was supposed to symbolize the beginning of a new era, one where the principals of progressive governance would prevail just as Barack Obama himself had.
Liberal arts and the art of banana peeling
By MICHAEL ROTHSCHILD, CONTRIBUTORMy roommate has paranormal powers. This morning I was lying in bed, partially awake, just lying there blissful in the knowledge that I did not have my first class until 11:30 a.m. and was content to watch the clock tick down until 11:20 a.m., at which point I would get up, brush my teeth and run over to class. All of a sudden, at about 10 a.m., the door bursts opens and in comes my roommate, Matt, holding a banana. "Check out my psychic powers!" he yells.
The Entertainment Board is defunct
By RUTLEDGE LONG, CONTRIBUTORWhat do Talib Kweli, Sean Kingston, Rahzel, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and Kevin Little have in common? They have all performed at Bowdoin College in the past four years, they have all been paid a lot of money for those performances, and they have all been huge disappointments for almost everyone sober enough to see their concerts.
Sex survey: Partner communication is key
By EVAN BOUCHER AND KERI FORBRINGER, CONTRIBUTORSSex 101. You might have seen advertisements, or perhaps you walked by on your way back from class. Maybe you even went—props to those of you who did in spite of the intrinsic awkwardness of talking about sex. That is exactly why we wanted to hold the event. In years past, the event has been run by Julia Bond '09.
Election results paint unclear picture of national mood
By CHRIS ROWE, CONTRIBUTORTuesday night saw a number of electoral battles that could have serious consequences for the nation at large, let alone our current president. There were two governor races, one in New Jersey and one in Virginia, in which Democrats were defeated, but for different reasons.
We need liberals and conservatives to push health care reform
By JOE BABLER, CONTRIBUTORFor those of you that have not heard about this season's election cycle outside of Maine's own ballot, there were a couple of other elections going on Tuesday. Most political junkies and the cable news might have argued that the governor's races in New Jersey and Virginia were critical in demonstrating where the country is headed politically.
College Democrats educate and engage
By CAITLIN CALLAHAN, CONTRIBUTORIn the piece from the October 18 issue of the Orient, "College Democrats are little more than a propaganda machine," contributor Benjamin Ziomek criticized us for the posters we put up in support of voting "No" on three of the referendum questions. What he failed to include in his analysis was our activism and political engagement throughout the fall.
We should save daylight
By CRAIG HARDT, CONTRIBUTOR"Spring forward, fall back." We all know the drill. Every second Sunday of March an hour mysteriously vanishes from existence only to be returned five months later on the first Sunday of November. Daylight saving time is a cultural phenomenon that claims to be rooted in practical efforts to save energy during the summer months, but let's be honest: we just like enjoying nice, long summer days.
Sex column needs to be more than just light-hearted
A recent letter to the editor made a plea for a better sex column. In response, the writers of "Celebrating Sex" acknowledged that they transmit "admittedly light-hearted musings on an important subject," adding that there are numerous organizations on campus which address the more serious aspects of sex. While I thank the writers for being so forthcoming with their goals and agenda for "Celebrating Sex," I must admit I am still dissatisfied with the column.