Motivated by the Democrats' new control of Congress and the increasing violence in Iraq, tens of thousands marched Saturday in an anti-war protest calling for a withdrawal from Iraq. The protest had a particular Vietnam-era atmosphere, as Jane Fonda, an icon of Vietnam War protests, joined other celebrities, lawmakers, and demonstrators in the Capitol to plead their case with a restive Congress and American public. The rally ended when a group of around 300 protesters tried to rush the Capitol, sprinting up the lawn in front of the building. The rush was met by police on motorcycles, breaking into scuffles between protesters and police as officers barricaded the Capitol building Another scuffle occurred a few blocks away, as 50 protesters who blocked a street off for 30 minutes were arrested. Smaller rallies were held across the nation, including San Fransisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento.
ON CAMPUS Cold weather wreaks havoc on pipes across campus On Saturday night at about 9 p.m., a water pipe burst in the study lounge of Walsh Hall. Ceiling tiles gave way and the water began to slowly flood near the windows and into the lounge. The custodial staff came to the scene with wet/dry vacuums to remove whatever water they could from the carpet. The frigid temperatures over the weekend were blamed for the accident. Boston College's facilities service had tried to forstall the problem by sending a mass e-mail asking students to keep windows and doors closed to prevent pipes from freezing and to report any areas on campus where the heating did not appear to be working. The weekend's coldsnap features the coldest days in the past two years in Boston.
Professor shares his thoughts on the power of humor In an interview with Boston College Magazine editor Ben Birnbaum, author Paul Lewis expressed his belief that humor can do more than just make us laugh. Lewis explained that people use it to persuade us to take action, to provide information or "disinformation," to cure us of our physical or spiritual maladies, and even to terrify us. His new book, Cracking Up: American Humor in a Time of Conflict, analyzes the impact of Sept. 11 on our society's sense of humor and poses questions about the ethical use of humor to achieve the wrong ends, reminding us that some things we find funny may not actually be laughing matters. "Though political satire speaks truth to power, humor can also muddy thought, trivialize real problems and promote catastrophic mistakes," said Lewis.
UNIVERSITIES Credit card debt highest in the Midwest; threat to health According to a Nellie Mae survey conducted in 2005, college students in the Midwest have the highest credit card debt. The same study showed that freshman year is the most common time for college students to sign up for credit cards. Dr. Anne Kubal, a psychologist in the Counseling and Student Development Center at Northern Illinois University, recommends students experiencing problems with high credit card debt should seek help, such as visiting Students' Legal Assistance for financial counseling. Kubal also suggested that the psychological effects that credit cards have on people could be detrimental to one's psychological health.
INTERNATIONAL 24 die in continuing violence in Gaza Strip The fiercest fighting between rival Palestinian forces in over a year erupted over the weekend in the Gaza strip, where 24 Palestinians were killed over a power struggle between the ruling Hamas and the Fatah forces loyal to president Mahmoud Abbas. Militants from the groups have been trading machine-gun fire and mortar shells since the start of the weekend, setting up road blocks and laying mines. The latest surge in violence has undermined efforts undertaken by the two groups earlier this week to form a national unity government. Clashes between the two groups began a month ago when Abbas called for early elections only a year after the Islamic party of Hamas was elected.
UNDER REPORTED 'Love at Second Sight'; reality show takes it to next level Reality television is taking an odd twist in Amsterdam, where a Dutch network is seeking candidates for its new dating show, Love at Second Sight. The program, which will feature people with serious visible disabilities, seeks to match handicapped hopefuls to potential mates. Although producers of the reality program claim that it aims to promote acceptance for the disabled and will allow them to share their experiences with the public in a positive way, only nine percent of Dutch viewers approve of the idea. The Dutch have contributed many an outlandish reality show to national programming, the most popular being Big Brother, which has become a reality television phenomenon.
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