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Gluttony, once famous for its spot on the list of seven deadly sins, has found new grandeur in the United States. Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is the best example. Every year on the Fourth of July, thousands of spectators flock to Coney Island to watch as food "champions" gorge themselves like swine.… 1 Comment

A huge plastic bag sagged over my head. It hovered three or four feet to my north, with dust its only inhabitant. I wondered why it was there. Probably to catch bricks. There is one bathroom. And in that bathroom, there is but one working stall. And in that stall, there is no ceiling.… Post the First Comment

Hakim looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights of a Mack truck barreling down I-57. Half of my glass of wine was now on the conference room floor. He was waiting for me to play the part of the angry American, but before I could assure him I wasn't upset, he had muttered several apologies and had disappeared into the crowd of international students to grab me another drink.… Post the First Comment

Newsweek's Jonathan Alter had a great quote on the Clintons' relationship with power. He stated that they view losing their power the same way "hardcore gun owners" do: "over their cold dead hands." Hillary's recent behavior, epitomized in her performance at Tuesday night's debate, only seemed to substantiate that.… 5 Comments

Recycle bins, wall clocks and towel dispensers. What these items have in common is an effort by the campus to be green. Some of them are worthwhile, like the recycle bins, and some are just plain hilarious. Since the worthwhile ones are not very fun to write about, I chose five of my favorite hilarious ones.… Post the First Comment

Walking around campus on what started off as a sunny Sunday afternoon, I spotted this pail a couple hundred feet ahead of me behind the Life Science II building. I moseyed my way over out of pure curiosity to see what this pail held inside. To my utter disgust, I found dozens of smoked-out wet cigarette butts and an empty cigar pack.… 2 Comments

Technology: You're not the boss of me (anymore) My grandma doesn't know how to work the DVD player. My mom can't change the ink in the printer. My grandpa probably thinks MP3 is a move in "Battleship." For some, technology is more a head-scratching nuisance than amenity.… Post the First Comment

Thumbs Up to SIU for giving in to Mother Nature and closing school last Thursday and Friday. When there is a thick layer of ice on the ground, closing school should be a no-brainer. It's good to see that whoever makes the decision to call off school finally came to his senses.… Post the First Comment

It was an event that was heard around the world. A relic of the Cold War and an icon of leftist revolutionaries gave up the throne in communist Cuba. For more than 50 years, Fidel Castro, the ruler of Cuba, has been a thorn in the sides of 10 U.S. administrations.… Post the First Comment

Thumbs Up to the return of warm weather in Carbondale. I hope everyone took advantage of the warmer temperatures and got outside this weekend. Don't get too excited, it's going to get cold again this week, but after everyone gets back from spring break, we'll start to see temperatures like the past weekend all the time.… Post the First Comment

In light of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, it seems appropriate to take the time to clear up some of the misconceptions about eating disorders and disordered eating, which abound on a college campus. Most articles about eating disorders might begin with some statistics, such as the facts that nearly 20 percent of college freshmen have some type of disordered eating, 78 percent of college females have reported binge eating.… 2 Comments

We stand at the threshold of a new era in human history. The legitimate debate is over. The vast majority of scientists agree swift reductions in carbon dioxide emissions are necessary to avoid some of the worst catastrophes that could result from global warming.… Post the First Comment