Columbia Spectator 04/23/08

Freshmen Get Controllers, Lose Control

Early last semester, one of my floormates brought his old Nintendo 64 back to the dorm after a trip home. It came with some great old games that the entire floor remembered fondly: Mario Kart 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Snowboard Kids, and Star Fox 64, among others.

Baseball Hosts Manhattan for Doubleheader

Last season the Columbia baseball team welcomed Manhattan College to Andy Coakley Field having gone 10-10 in Ivy play, with a few out-of-conference games left to finish its 16-28-1 season.

Ebadi Tackles Women’s Roles

Shirin Ebadi, the first Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner, tackled how democracy and women’s rights develop simultaneously and urged America to leave Iran’s troubles to the Iranian people last night in Barnard Hall.

Schoolhouse Rock

While Bacchanal’s April 21 spring concert has been hailed by many students as an improvement over those of previous years, the event’s small crowd and haphazard ticketing methods testify to disorganization and poor advertising on the part of its planners. Bacchanal should redouble its efforts to generate excitement and spirit among the student population through more ambitious and better publicized programming beyond the annual concert.

So Much More Than Bagel Bites and Ego Waffles

The first time I walked by a branch of France’s frozen food emporium Picard, I was not overtaken by a desire to go inside.

Catching a Nuclear Curveball

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider work reminds us that no matter how well we think we understand the universe, nature can still throw us a curveball.

Charming Downtown Clowns Make Due Without Big Shoes and Tiny Cars

Bam and Bouk do not wear white grease paint or painted smiles.

Light Blue Seeks Success in Season Finale Against Bucknell

After notching its first win since March 14 on Monday, the Columbia lacrosse team (4-10, 0-7 Ivy) hopes for similar success against Bucknell (6-7, 1-5 Patriot League).

CU Dems’ Flag-Washing Raises Controversy

Twenty American flags, newly washed and hung out to dry in the sun yesterday afternoon on Low Plaza made a bold visual statement that few could ignore.

Make Sense Who May. I Switch Off.

Transitioning from flying off the handle to attempting a reasoned argument—or at least shedding light on an issue—in about 800 to 900 words certainly made me think long and hard about what it was I wanted to write about.

LGBTQ Groups Praise New State Anti-Discrimination Policy

Local community groups and gay rights associations have welcomed the March decision of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services to adopt a policy explicitly prohibiting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in juvenile justice facilities across the state.

TV Guilty Pleasures: Sex and the City

Before I turned seventeen, my mother’s favorite television show, Sex and the City, was strictly off limits. Obviously, I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to watch it, and since I’ve started I can’t get enough.

Health Services Announces Plan to Lower Cost of Student Birth Control

Following pressure from student groups, Health Services at Columbia announced Tuesday that it would reduce the cost of the NuvaRing and other birth control methods for students. The announcement comes two months after a resolution drafted by a coalition of campus groups urged Columbia to alleviate the rising cost of birth control.

50 States of Literature: Georgia On Our Minds

Tayari Jones’ debut, Leaving Atlanta, is set during the 1979 Atlanta Child Murders, at which time a total of 29 black children were killed.

Veterans, New Comers Face Off in GSSC Debates

Financial aid, housing, and loan debt were hot topics at Tuesday night’s General Studies Student Council candidate debates, where presidential and Vice President of Policy hopefuls presented platforms with a common thread—what candidates purported as a return to integrity for the beleaguered council.

Alicia Graf Named GS Class Day Speaker, Prize Recipient

Dancer Alicia Graf, GS ’03, will serve as the alumna speaker at the School of General Studies 2008 Class Day on May 19, the school announced Tuesday evening.

A Tale of One Town

A theater performance featuring a compilation of stories with no main plot line may seem conceptually dull.

Standstill in Numbers of CC Science Majors Raises Concerns

Columbia College may have reason to worry that, instead of evolving and growing, its science programs have remained developmentally static and are not attracting enough potential science majors.

Get Chic Spring Style With a Small Budget But Big Impact

The morning after my family and I arrived in New York City for the first time, we had barely finished breakfast before getting quickly down to the tricky business of deciding how to spend the rest of our day. My parents launched into elaborate plans for possible museum trips, bus tours, and sightseeing excursions, but my sister and I, nodding and smiling along, had other plans. The Met, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty could wait—we just wanted to go shopping.