North Korea's nuclear test goes unnoticed by Weston

North Korea conducted what it called a "successful" detonation of nuclear explosives in an underground environment Monday. Drawing harsh criticism from the United States, China, Japan, and South Korea, the test came after previously issued warnings by North Korea. While seismologists worldwide have confirmed that an explosion did occur, whether it involved nuclear materials is still unclear. Measuring only a 4.2 on the Richter scale - small, for a nuclear explosion - BC's Weston Observatory did not record any seismic disturbances, said John Ebel, director. The only U.S. observatories that measured the explosion were on the Aleutian Islands, said Ebel. President Bush said that he has "no intention" of attacking North Korea, instead pushing for economic sanctions. Japan has barred all incoming North Korean ships.

National

As sectarian violence continues in Iraq, the U.S Army yesterday announced its intentinons to keep the current level of troops in Iraq through 2010. The Army's chief of staff, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, cautioned the public not to interpret the plans in a negative way. Schoomaker stated that the plans were not an indication that the situation will be getting worse in Iraq, but instead a strategic move to provide troops if they are in fact needed. This goes against a statement released by Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, during a July news conference, in which Casey planned to recommend a substantial reduction in troops by this time. There are currently 141,000 U.S troops in Iraq.

On Campus

Boston College's Mike Barry was ranked among the top professors in the country, according to a BusinessWeek survey that asked students to vote for their favorite business professors. "His enthusiasm, personalized attention, and informality keep students flocking to this prof's Basic Finance class," wrote the prominent business magazine. According to the profile, Barry's Basic Finance class is the most highly-sought course in the Carroll School of Management, filling up before any other class during registration. Barry is an adjunct associate professor of BC's nationally ranked finance department.

Campus offices to close early for Virginia Tech football game

In preparation for the highly anticipated Boston College vs. Virginia Tech football game, BC administrative offices and Hillside dining facilities will close today at 3 p.m. The administration asks that unless circumstances require faculty and students to remain on campus, they leave as promptly as possible to avoid any traffic congestion. The administration expects higher traffic volume today than on normal game days due to the national broadcast of tonight's game on ESPN. For faculty or students who must remain past the 3 p.m. closure, the campus advises contacting the Office of the Provost to clear any problems that may arise.

Universities

A recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers indicated that students majoring in math or sciences will have higher pay - upward of $20,000 more - coming out of college than their liberal arts counter-parts. Officials point out that the reason these students receive higher pays than liberal art students straight out of college is the narrow focus of a math or science major. Despite this, liberal art majors are thought to have greater income potentials in the long run. Chemical engineering students earn an average starting salary of $56, 335, the highest average salary. Economics and finance majors averaged $45,112.

Study: Binge drinking has mixed results on employment

Teenage binge drinking may not be as bad as once thought. According to a recent study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, teenage binge drinkers end up with 6 percent higher earning potential than students who abstain from alcohol use. This does not correlate to benefits in the workforce, however, as the study reported lower employment levels among teenage binge drinkers. According to the study, male teenage binge drinkers - those who regularly drink five or more drinks in a night - had a lower rate of employment but higher salaries at age 26. The data represented 12,000 high school students over the course of 12 years.

Local

The scheduled four-week road construction on Beacon Street in Washington Square and near Cleveland Circle has exceeded its estimated completion date, causing uneasiness for local businesses and commuters. Many businesses are trying to recover lost profits by changing their hours or remaining closed. Profitable businesses, such as Emack & Bolio's Ice Cream, have been affected by the lack of parking space and demolished sidewalks. Businesses hope that the project will be completed in time for the holiday season.

Under Reported

Evidence that potholes do kill: Four Mexicans were killed recently when a disagreement between families over a pothole in a neighborhood street spiraled into a full-blown shootout. The dispute arose after one of the families shut down the street with the pothole to repair it after a heavy rain storm. The closure infuriated another family who owned a transport business and needed to get trucks through the street. A heated argument over the pothole ensued. The insults spiraled out of the control as the two families began shooting at each other with an assortment of guns, including a heavy duty A-15 assault rifle.