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Not much besides trying to oogle all the hillary voters.

you don't consider using a story that had nothing to do with fraternities hazing to call out fraternities taking a pot shot at them? Once again, I wish I could take a high ground. But on the weekends I tailgate and go to the bars. I wish my stories of studying really hard on Sunday were as interesting as the two nights previous, but to me and my friends, recalling the fun we had together over the weekend I don't think should be the defining moment of our character.

Former Illinois State professor by the way.

My favorite writer, David Foster Wallace, most famous for his epic novel "Infinite Jest" which portrayed our modern country in both humor and tragedy, an endless cycle of pleasure-seeking we couldn't get out of. sad day. Apparent suicide.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 04:55 PM) Both. But from what I've seen and heard, the fraternity system encourages and in some cases required "exploration" beyond responsible levels. Forced consumption of alcohol for example. I don't believe we need to examine news stories of hazing? That sort of ritualized behavior goes beyond what would occur for non Greek students. The excesses of the past, which has led to deaths and University policies and laws against these behaviors are in part because members did not acknowledge any problems in the 70s, and 80s. As the behaviors continued to escalate, Fraternities and to a lesser extend Sororities, were given a huge black eye. I have spent time on three University campuses with both large and small Greek Societies, and perhaps on your campus fraternity members brag about the people they helped, but I've heard a lot more party tales. No doubt there is a larger social value in Greek Society. Both inward and outward for the members. As I posted before, the pendulum is swinging, as witnessed by what you wrote, and that is a good sign for everyone. But you can attribute these things to the societal expectations of college in general. In a small area, you are packing in tens of thousands of 18-22 year old students with little responsibilities and hormones raging. Go to a football game tailgate and pick out the responsible ones. And if you are asking people to brag about their community service, I think you'd be finding someone that does it for the wrong reasons. I certainly don't brag about my community service, funny anecdotes that happen I'll tell my family and friends, but I don't wear it as a badge of honor. I see it as a chance to use my privilege in productive ways, as do most around me. I think college students getting together and exchanging drinking stories just is what we do. We go to boring classes, and a lot of college students to explore themselves socially and blow off steam go out to the bars and meet people and act irresponsibly. I've had very funny stories happen to me at the bars. I think you have to, if I remember the fight thread. I don't think these stories should be defining outlooks on a persons character, any more than an obscene joke a remark on a persons moral code. In essence, I see you take pot shots at fraternities too much. The system has it's problems, but moreso due to corrupt people than a corrupt program. The greek system might have in fact put some positive influences in an otherwise unruly person, where without he would have been the same without these influences. For instance, I know many eagle scouts. Some of them are in jail right now. But the one whom I grew up with and has me in awe of the program is the one who in his junior year of college with a good job that was going to get him salary-position as soon as he graduated, promptly joined the marines because he felt a sense of duty of service. That's a testament to the people and lessons he met as an eagle scout. So perhaps those of us that are making a positive affect on the community around us, the many many thousands of us, through our fraternities and sororities could start sticking in your mind more than the tales of immaturity that you've used to condemn the system.

I hope he has a Bob Green-esque first article and it gets him canned (Of course bob greene's didn't get him canned, so maybe Marrioti can accelerate to the part where he sexually harrasses young girls.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 05:52 PM) Javy over his last 7 outings: 2.27 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 8.75 K/9, 1.86 BB/9, 0 HR, .540 OPS against. In his last 5 outings he's received, on average, 2 runs of support per game. reminiscent of 2006 no?

Just one thing, often posted here was a table showing the amount of money donated to democrats and republicans from major news organizations. What I think makes that hilariously inept, is that Fox news donated more money to democrats than republicans, making the presumption of the poll (political contributions show liberal bias) false, in my opinion.

some interesting articles I'm about to post: I'm very interested in Teach for America, so I'm wanting to read this book. http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/..._would_it_take/ and I'm gonna edit in another link from a blog by University of Missouri students that sums up freaking perfectly how I feel McCain specifically used the woe is me blame the media during his convention to set up his post-convention spree of complete lies. http://carpemedia.net/2008/09/15/media-you...ack/#comment-99 Attacks on Palin Spur Criticism of Media, but When Will the Tables Turn on McCain’s Ugly Spin? Jump to Comments Beware of losing your head to political spin this election season. Beware of losing your head to political spin this election season. by John Hendel The media’s feeling some heat these days. Particularly partisan heat. A fireball of controversy has exploded in the last few weeks and centers primarily around Governor Sarah Palin and her appearance at the Republican National Convention. First, we had the repeated swipes against the media at the Twin Cities convention. Then we had accusations over the media’s sexism and its “unfair” coverage of Gov. Palin. When CNN’s Campbell Brown asked McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds some tough questions on Palin, McCain cancelled an appearance on Larry King. And now, aside from the now-infamous Charles Gibson interview, the McCain camp is playing politics over allowing Palin any press access. So what’s new? One friend of mine says he associates “journalist” with sleaze. He’s not alone. For a lot of people, “journalist” conjures images of a sneaky, effete punk, a son-of-a-b**** liberally biased and bound for deception and misperception. A Harris poll from this past March suggests a distinct lack of trust towards the media; 54 percent said they tended not to trust the press in general. Fair enough. That sentiment has been floating around since the days of yellow journalism and scandal sheets more than a century ago and is unlikely to change for some people. Interestingly, that same poll revealed a partisan divide. Only 19 percent of Republicans expressed any trust towards the press, compared with 43 percent of Democrats. It’s this divide on which many prominent Republicans were capitalizing at their convention. “I’ve learned quickly, these past few days, that if you’re not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone,” Palin remarked during her convention speech. And for a senator who had a previously chummy relationship with the press, McCain has been notoriously terse with some members of the media recently. That disdain serves two purposes. The first is to rally conservatives over a natural and long point of contention: an alleged liberal media bias. In many instances, this may be true. Over at Investor’s Business Daily, William Tate analyzed reporters’ political donations earlier this year and found that 235 gave to Democrats and just 20 gave to Republicans. Then there’s the question of how affiliation translates to coverage. Researchers at the Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University found that ABC, NBC, and CBS covered Senator Obama more harshly during the first six weeks of the general election—findings contrary to the conventional wisdom. The studies go on and on, with no clear answers in sight. In the end, belief in a liberal media has flourished and fueled alternative sources for conservatives. (Rush Limbaugh’s talk radio revolution turned 20 years old last month and draws 14 million listeners each week.) That’s not the real problem, though. Far more disturbing is how McCain has used this war on the media in the past month. The strategy? Slander the mainstream press, say they’ll distort your words, and then repeat your own (distorted) case a million times over. Facts go out the window as claims about kindergarten sex-ed, taxes, Gov. Palin’s record and lipstick sexism run rampant. Political spin is natural on the part of politicians, but this crosses the line past mere spin, shamelessly and demonstrably entering the territory of lies. Even after repeated media corrections, the false claims continue ad nauseam. Bear with me and consider the range of sources agreeing on the deception: the Washington Post, the Columbia Journalism Review, Time, factcheck.org and even the Associated Press. (There are even lies about factcheck.org, says the site: read more.) Political bias—a variety of inclinations—seeps into the press. Journalists are hardly perfect and are usually quick to acknowledge this themselves. But to use that as a scapegoat for slander? To exploit conservative emotion to blatantly ignore facts and promote lies? Please. The public knows better, and the media will keep asking the tough questions. Reporters see what’s happening, and with tensions rising, there won’t be any free passes for this kind of stuff. At least, I sure hope not.

Good, he ruined this country.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 07:30 PM) Of course, a lot of Republicans/ Obama haters used this moment to heavily criticize Biden. meh, I think it humanizes him.

I'll just paraphrase it. It was in a NYTimes article last week. So, he's in Columbia on tuesday and together with Him are Judy Baker, running for 9th district for congress and Chuck Graham, running for state senator. When he first gets up, Biden says "And how great is Chuck Graham? Stand up here Chuck, let everyone get a good look at ya, stand up!" Of course, Chuck Graham has been in a wheel chair for much of his life. Upon realizing this Biden looks horrified and says "Oh God what am I saying! God love ya! Oh boy"

man SNL sucks. They can't find anything funny to do with Obama, so Palin is a blessing. They should have funny stuff to do with joe Biden. BUt man that show is bad now.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 07:10 PM) I love Joe Biden: did you hear what Ole Joe said in my Columbia last tuesday (I couldn't get tickets, urgh)? It was so painfully awkward, and conversely, hilarious to the detached reader.

Mark Ronson's pretty awesome.

I don't really want the argument I'm making here to be in the correct thread: The media is more ineffective now because of the incorrect claims of bias. The example: a completely false campaign ad comes out. Even though there are lies in the ad, the news company will have a rep. from both parties come on the show. The side that calls out the lies are merely shown as equal opportunity. The media company won't come out with the truth, they act like the truth is just a side spinning it. It's bulls***, and it's because people will claim bias if the media actually calls out John McCain for being a liar.

you aren't helping our case Rex

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 05:36 PM) Haha thats awesome. RHS is a SOCo and Jager shot I think Yeah otherwise known as too much money for not enough alcohol.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 04:18 PM) I know, but Rock and I have had a couple exchanges about this. And for the record, I am a fan of the system, I just am waiting for the pendulum to swing further towards the Mission statements as written, instead of the mission statement as interpreted by too many fraternity brothers. The next time I hear a Fraternity member brag about the community service they did, (instead of buying their way out with a donation) or how it helped with their grades, will be the first. The next time I hear about a great party, how they got totally wasted, or "did" some chick at a party, will be too many to count. And former member? Shame on you. Fraternities are forever Its just flawed logic. Are the bolded statements a product of them being in a fraternity or being young in college? Do you remember these statements more because it reaffirms your shallow generalizations of fraternity members as opposed to just a college kid saying it? My guess is probably. Because in the arguments that have happened in this board over this subject, you have had many fraternity members here talk about their community service and grades, so there is no way it would be a first. I'm in a fraternity and am young and in college. I put in many hours of community service that go far beyond any "required" hours we have, and many of my brothers are right there with me. I have great grades. I'm politically active. I'm active in the community. The community knows the potential the greek system has here and actively comes to us for help, which is then obliged by ours. But this doesn't mean I don't get to have the same social exploration of any other college student just because it would feed into your shallow stereotype.

This is bigger than Colin Powell. btw, someone just told me a new shot. It's called the lindsay lohan. It's a red headed slut (this is the actual name of a shot so don't kill me) with coke mixed in.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 06:03 AM) If that song leaked a month ago, it would have been the song of the summer. I hear it everywhere in New York. Isaac Hayes - Walk On By (Vastly superior to the Burt Bacharach arrangement) James Brown - I Got The Feelin' The Gossip - Keeping You Alive D.O.A. - Marijuana Motherf***er Jurassic 5 - Future Sound Brian Wilson - Good Kind of Love (Really surprised how well this album turned out. By and large Brian Wilson still has a sense of humor and it generally doesn't sound too derivative of the other stuff he used to do in the Pet Sounds/Smile era.) Bruce Springsteen - Buffalo Gals Sigur Ros - Hopipolla Tricky - Bad Things Bonde Do Role - Solta o Frango I love Bonde Do Role. Love Diplo.

Still not doing homework: T.I., Kanye, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne - Swagger like us Juana Molina - Micael Silver Jews - Night Society Sonic Youth - Washing Machine J Dilla - U-Luv The Beatles - Wait British Sea Power - Please Wait Explosions in the Sky - Day Four Three 6 Mafia - roll with it Mclusky - F*** this band pretty pleasant 10 songs.

Kirk Gibson. I don't know about this though, as bad as I wanna win this year I don't want his career to be ruined.

Unreal.

outrageous, they fire a bunch of awesome reporters to spend millions for this guy? F*** them.