On Tuesday, Nov. 13, the Macalester College Student Government Legislative Board voted to hold and fund Springfest, though there had been some talk of canceling the event.

MCSG formed a Springfest task force this year to make sure that students still support the event. In a survey the task force conducted, 88.6 percent of nearly 300 students who were surveyed said they wanted to continue Springfest, which has been a Macalester tradition for as long as anyone can remember. {more}

Macalester recently announced this year's nominees for the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Application to the fellowship is open each year to graduating seniors from 50 participating institutions.

One or all of this year's nominees- Katy Forsyth '02, Curtis Gilbert '02, Owen Kohl '02 and Jane Turk '02-may be awarded the fellowship. Fellowships are awarded each year to students across the country. The fellowship provides each recipient with a grant of $22,000 and an amount equal to one year's payment of outstanding federal student loans. According to the Watson Web site, recipients will embark upon a year-long "focused and disciplined wanderjahr," during which time they will pursue an independent course of study. They may travel anywhere and in any number of countries, but are not normally permitted to return to the U.S. before the 12 months have passed. {more}

Last spring, a group of students chartered Sunday News to draw attention to information not covered by mainstream media. Late night debates and discussions on Turck Four inspired the formation of the organization, largely propelled by Kalle Dahlquist '04. {more}

Three light bollards were knocked over near Kirk Hall last weekend. Damaging these lights has been a trend recently, affecting lights in various places on campus. {more}

Jerry Rudquist, who began teaching art at Macalester in 1958, died of brain cancer last Sunday at the age of 67. He passed away in his home. Rudquist retired last year, but stayed in the department as artist-in-residence.

The funeral took place on Nov. 19 at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. There will be a memorial service on campus at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, in Weyerhauser Chapel.

A South Asian Human Rights (SAHR) conference was held in Bangladesh earlier this week. The attendants, including the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson and a 50-member delegation from Bangladesh, called for all-out efforts to promote and protect human rights in the region. {more}

Last weekend, several cultural groups sponsored the second annual Diversity Weekend. The weekend originated as a way to educate the campus about issues facing people of color on campus and around the world, as well as a forum for cultural groups to collaborate and share collective experiences. One of the events last weekend was a discussion entitled, “Why don’t white students attend cultural events?” While the forum did not provide a concrete answer, it took a step in addressing this important issue. {more}

In response to Brad Salmen’s article, “Four things your Macalester professors will never tell you,” (Opinion, Nov 9) I would like to identify several problems. Salmen’s fourth point concerned the “real” state of our planet according to Danish social scientist Bjorn Lomborg. Lomborg disagrees with environmental “doomsayers” who believe that we are destroying our environment with unsustainable practices. Salmen adds, “Somehow I doubt Lomborg’s book will be assigned reading in any environmental studies class.” {more}

An open letter to Brad Salmen:

You squander your precious First Amendment rights by using The Mac Weekly to publish things you could say in a fascist dictatorship. As a sort of ombudsman to the students of color among the Weekly’s readership, I thought it necessary to object to your editorial reign of terror. The things you’ve said are cruel, and the way you said them does not evidence bravery, but misogyny and ignorance. I hope Macalester continues to educate people responsibly; I hope we’re not afraid, and I hope that we can find it in ourselves to speak out of love and not hate. Therefore, I want to present to this campus “Four Things You Are Wrong About So Hardcore That I Feel Like Fucking Langston Hughes Singing The Old Negro Spirituals”: {more}

I am writing in response to Brad Salmen’s article “Four things your Macalester professors will never tell you” (Opinion, Nov. 9). His column suggested that the recent rape and sexual assault statistics distributed by STARSA are inaccurate and we should all be “checking our sources” before believing such “myths.” Well, I checked the source the author cited to make his argument, and I have to say I’m not too impressed. {more}

Know someone with asthma? Most people do. Over the last twenty years, asthma rates have skyrocketed at the same time that electricity consumption has grown astronomically. It’s not a coincidence. {more}

There are many important issues facing the current Macalester student. These concerns are varied in their significance and urgency, but one stands out in my mind as needing immediate resolution. I’m talking about, of course, the lines at the toaster. {more}

God bless Brad Salmen! Someone has finally had the courage to take a stand against the “left and far-left” orthodoxy that descended upon the campus a few years ago, stifling freedom of speech and dealing a death blow to rational discussion. {more}

The past weekend kicked off the second annual Diversity Weekend at Macalester. Called “Differing Perspectives In Academia,” the goal of the event was to celebrate the racial and cultural diversity at Macalester with a focus on education and an academic emphasis on multiculturalism. {more}

What was already a memorable night for the men’s varsity soccer team became a stunning and confusing end to the season last Friday. After Macalester came back against Whitworth for a 1-1 tie and held a 2-1 lead in penalty kicks, a controversial decision by referee Tony Vassoli deflated the Scots, who eventually fell in the shootout, 4-2. {more}

The women’s varsity basketball team opens its 2001-2 campaign by hosting Coe tomorrow at 3 p.m.

With only one senior, guard Allison Bell-Bern, the Scots remain a young team but have more experience. {more}

The Macalester Scots and the Hamline Pipers went into their 102nd meeting looking like two very evenly matched teams. While the first quarter of the contest played out to most everyone’s expectations, the Pipers exploded in the second quarter, putting the ball in the endzone three times on passes from quarterback Andy Gagnon to receiver Doug Amsden. {more}

The Macalester Athlete of the Week is Erik Nelson (Jr., Minneapolis, MN/South) from the men's swimming and diving team. Nelson led the Scots to a pair of dual meet victories last week, winning the 100-meter backstroke (1:03.52) and 50-meter freestyle in a 99-73 win over Wisconsin-River Falls. His 24.87 time in the 50 free broke a14-year-old school record. In Saturday's 88-50 win over Hamline, Nelson placed first in the 200-meter individual medley (2:32.75) and the 200-meter backstroke (2:30.31).

A: Yes, this queen feels your pain, child, I really do. As a wise upper-classman, I have also lamented over the lack of open, honest, and "datable" gay men, and I have heard the same is true for women. What I see as part of the problem is: 1. Closet cases, and 2. Not knowing what the hell to do after you finally decide to come out. What I would suggest for those who may be closeted is, yo, come on out here, "ain’t no thang…" The queers are all pretty friendly here at Mac, especially to a newfound member. When you finally decide to take this step and you also realize you are starved for some ass, I would suggest showing up at a couple QU meetings and letting your friends know you are on the prowl. Don’t worry, in a couple of days all the gay men find out there is a newly outed gay male on campus through intricate gossip networks.

For those who are not satisfied with waiting for their current closeted crush, there are other options for meeting that gay of choice. For gay men, there is the Saloon, which on Thursdays is packed wall to wall with sweaty young things like us. Some great gay hangouts are Vera’s Café (especially at night), Spyhouse coffee shop and Uptown in general. You can also try gay.com, or attend gay events at the U of M.

An important thing to remember is that you can’t assume your crush is closeted. Give that cute guy coming down the path a holler, a smile, and if he’s perceptive enough he’ll understand your intentions and respond in the appropriate fashion. If you’re ready to take a risk, you can also email or break open that Spotlight and go ahead and confront your hormones one on one. Ask that crush out! Go ahead, if he turns out to be straight or definitely closeted, at least you’ll know. Nothing risked, nothing gained.

The Volvo is packed to the gills; a full carload of people-myself and three friends: Lasse, David, and Josh-and a full carload of stuff. We’re heading east on Interstate 94 out of Minnesota and I can see Wisconsin across the St. Croix River. This is the first hour of a road trip that will culminate in Albany, New York, with stops in Chicago and Youngstown, Ohio along the way. The final destination, however, is New York City. From there we’ll go our separate ways.

It’s a perfect day, and as we pass over the river and into Wisconsin, I can’t resist. I lean forward and stick my head between the two front seats and look at Lasse, who’s driving. {more}

Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s new film Amélie had its Twin Cities premier at the Uptown Theater last Friday. Released in the U.S. just this month, I had already heard of its success in Europe and had seen a few intriguing previews. Yet I was still a little skeptical of this “hit French comedy.” (The French make funny movies?) But what awaited me was indeed comedy. I was taken by surprise to find how upbeat and hilarious this film is. Initially the film advances solely through narration, which essentially profiles the major characters by giving lots of random information about their likes and dislikes (e.g. peeing next to strangers at the urinal; prune fingers in the bathtub). We are introduced to Amélie Poulain as a child of six, and we see how her stifling parents and home life lead her into the role of a sincere dreamer. Eventually she reaches young adulthood and moves to Paris, working as a waitress at a café with a host of other hysterical characters.{more}

The Coen brothers have done it again! Or … maybe not? After critical favorites such as Fargo and audience winner O Brother, Where Art Thou, it seems like the fraternity has chosen to rest on their laurels. Not a wise idea. I feel more like burying the Caesars than praising them. {more}

Bitter lyrical content has been the main ingredient of a lot of classic songs. Going back to the venomous bile of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice"(and certainly before it as well), jilted lovers storylines have been responsible for great music. "Beautiful Head,"the opening cut on the National's debut, can now be added to the list of great embittered tales. With singer Matt Berninger's low-pitched voice recalling the creepiness of Nick Cave, a tale of impending relationship doom is put forth in stark detail. When Berninger intones, "You've got a diagram of your associations/A strategy, you're weighing your options/What would you trade me for?/You're measuring me lately, and I can tell I'm losing weight"the listener can't help but shudder. As pianos twinkle during the chorus, Berninger delivers more classic lines: "Don't tell me I've changed/Your just raising your standards."As "Beautiful Head"and a number of similarly strong songs prove, Berninger and the rest of the boys in the National have broken into the great bitter song cycle pantheon on their first time out. {more}

We all know that some really great things happen at parties. Here are a few stories that we found to be particularly funny, embarAssing or just really gross.

"First year, all the girls in my first year course engaged in some drinking on the floor. Sometime during the course of the night, one girl puked on another's comforter. Since we were well educated in party ettiquette, we decided to wash the comforter. The problem came when we took it out of the dryer –unfortunately, it had been burned."

"First year, my roommate brought this really drunk girl back to our room while I was away for Fall Break. The girl got really sick in our room and threw up. Appparently, the only thing that my roommate could find to clean up the puke with was my shower towel. When I got back after break, I found my towel lying in the garbage can, soaked in vomit."

"I was at a party and I had had a little more than a beer when suddenly everyone started getting quiet and the music died. We were informed that the cops were outside, surrounding the house. They were carding every single person that walked out of the ho use and giving all minors breathalyzers, so I was instructed to stay inside. I lost my friends and ultimately ended up stashed in the little space that could sort of be called the attic. There were five of us in there sitting on the Two Foot side of 2x4 'sand covered in insulation for over an hour and a half. It was freezing because we were above all the insulation and we were super uncomfortable. Plus we could hear EVERYTHING that was going on. Finally, the police came in the house to search people out. They even lifted up the board that we came through but were told that it was just a bunch of insulation Éfortunately they believed it. We sat there in silence forever and during that time some guy in the corner actually peed in the insulation! We were soglad to finally get out of there and go home. Ugh. "

"A couple of my guy friends were drinking their faces off and, like it often does, last call and closing came much too early. Anyway, everybody poured out of the bar and onto the street and the boys, feeling a little amorous and quite plastered, decided to try and pick up a couple of girls. One of them (we'll call him Andy) stopped a couple of cuties and starts chatting them up. Meanwhile, another (Joe) joins in and the girls seem receptive to their charms. Things are going well when all of a sudden, Andyturns around, sticks "it"out and starts whizzing on the sidewalk. Joe, noticing what he's doing, tries to talk a little louder (to cover the splashing sound) and works harder to keep the girls attention away from Andy but to little avail. They were stand ing on a bit of a grade with the boys uphill and a stream of pee comes rushing downhill and sweeps over the toes of the lady's sandals. Needless to say, the ladies started shouting obcenities and stormed off leaving a wet trail for about 50 feet."Eww.

"First year, my Turck double was not exactly an ideal place to have a party. Most of the action occured around my bed and by the end of one night my bed was soaked with sweat (and alcohol) from one of my friends and a random boy she was making out with. The guy was still around the next morning so I didn't have the heart to make her clean up the saturated sheets; I knew she would be too embarassed."

How many times have you woken up in a strange place on Sunday morning? This guy has probably gone through this before, but at least he had a good time (and won't be throwing up on anyone's comforter).