blog Archive

Swishing Graduation

BlogNews

A story in the Wall Street Journal March 19 featured an interview with UO Professor Nathan Tublitz and the headline: “Has Serious Academic Reform Of College Athletics Arrived?” The article describes Tublitz as a neurobiology professor who is co-chairman of the faculty driven Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics. The WSJ describes theoretically tough new standards on academic progress by the NCAA, but raises the question about whether they will actually be enforced. Continue reading →

Kroger v. Macpherson AG Showdown

BlogNews

Willamette Week’s Nigel Jaquiss has a cover story on the state attorney general race between former federal prosecutor John Kroger and state legislator Greg Macpherson. Here’s some highlights: • “‘I prosecuted Enron, and Greg’s firm represented them,’ says Kroger.” Continue reading →

Random Giggles

BlogBooks

Lately, I’ve developed a knack for opening books to random pages and finding upon those pages sentences which, taken out of context, are truly funny. OK, so maybe a two-time occurrence isn’t quite a knack. And it’s entirely possible that only Suzi and I find these things funny. But I’m going to practice this apparent talent (my boyfriend has a variation of this talent; he can open to the smut in any given title) and see if I can’t keep coming across delicious things like these: “Have you ever fucked a Bulgarian?” Continue reading →

Could You Describe the Ruckus, Sir?

BlogFilm

True Story*: Several (OK, six) years ago when I was still living in New York, I went out a couple of times with a fellow who knew another Molly. Yeah, that one. The Ringwald. This was a source of awe and wonder, of course, but I tried not to bring it up; that would be, like, dorky of me. Still, there came an evening when this fellow called me from a party at That Molly’s house. There is no post-teenage shock like seeing RINGWALD, MOLLY on your caller ID. Did I take a picture? You bet your DVD of The Breakfast Club I did. Continue reading →

Movies Are Neat, and So Are Comics

BlogFilm

Edgar Wright makes awesome movies. Perhaps his name sounds familiar from such films as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz? If not, please familiarize yourself with said films as soon as humanly possible. While you’re at it, you may want to check out all three seasons of Arrested Development, one of the best half-hour comedies ever to grace television. Pay special attention to Michael Cera, who ever so winningly plays the young George Michael Bluth. Isn’t he charming? Continue reading →

After Eastside parents ‘beat up’ their teachers over merger, Russell says, ‘close them both’

BlogNews

Eastside alternative elementary parents who have strongly opposed a merger with the poorer and browner Harris neighborhood elementary have verbally “beat up” their own teachers to the point where half may no longer want to work at the school, according to 4J Superintendent George Russell. “I worry now how Eastside can be Eastside if half or more of the teachers are deciding they don’t want to be Eastside,” Russell said at a school board meeting today, March 8. Continue reading →