The Bowdoin Orient

A few weeks ago, an editorial appeared in the Orient proposing that classes be canceled this Friday for the sake of allowing more students to enjoy the Friday of Ivies. The editors cite actions at Williams and Smith Colleges where Friday classes are annually canceled for the tradition of "Mountain Day."

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that encode breast cancer susceptibility proteins. These proteins act in DNA repair as well as destruction of irreparable DNA in breast tissue, in effect working to stop cells from becoming cancerous. It is estimated that the risk of breast cancer for the average woman is approximately 12 percent, but for women with mutated copies of BRCA1, that number jumps to as high as 85 percent.

On March 23, while we were busy sitting at home relishing our Spring Break boredom, President Barack Obama signed the widely publicized and controversial health care reform bill into law. Many feel that this new law is America's most monumental social achievement in decades, earning President Obama a spot in the history books.

Who doesn't love a friendly contest? People love competition, be it a race, a ball game or the new sport of who can be the first first year to get a ride to Parkview on Saturday night. May I use this forum to be the umpteenth person to implore fellow students to show a little more responsibility? But I digress.

Who is at fault for the issues with health care in America? Take a look in the mirror, says CEO of Delphi Financial Group, Robert Rosenkranz in the January 25 issue of Newsweek. Rosenkranz argues that insurance companies are not responsible for the perceived health care issue, citing their moderate profit margins, and instead puts the blame on the government and society. He uses the analogy that people don't call their car insurance companies every time they need an oil change. I agree with Rosenkranz; things have gotten out of hand to the point where people feel that for every back ache that may "need" a massage, their insurance should foot the bill. This is capitalism, and as long as we keep asking for crazier health insurance, companies have every right to provide it.

Last week President Barack Obama announced that the United States will be sending 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in an effort to finally drive out the terrorists, defeat the Taliban, stabilize the nation, yada, yada, yada. Immediately afterwards, we heard complaints being lobbed from all sides that Afghanistan is going to become the next Vietnam: that we cannot win. Here is the question I would like answered: what do we win?

My roommate has paranormal powers. This morning I was lying in bed, partially awake, just lying there blissful in the knowledge that I did not have my first class until 11:30 a.m. and was content to watch the clock tick down until 11:20 a.m., at which point I would get up, brush my teeth and run over to class. All of a sudden, at about 10 a.m., the door bursts opens and in comes my roommate, Matt, holding a banana. "Check out my psychic powers!" he yells.

On December 10, 2010, I would like a Nobel Peace Prize. I already hit up Expedia and got my ticket to Oslo. If you want to join my entourage, I'll put you on the waiting list. I think I deserve the Nobel Prize. I think I know a lot of people that deserve one, as well. I say this because it seems that all you have to do to get the Nobel Peace Prize these days is to do your job

When I first got here three years ago I received a bookmark that said the now-familiar, "To be at home in all lands and all ages; to count Nature a familiar acquaintance..." If you are a first year, the only land you are going to be easily acquainted with this year is the land you can ride your bike to. First-year students can no longer keep cars on campus, and the old Stanwood Street parking lot now looks like a motocross course. I have no problem with the campus becoming "greener," and I always give the lazy kid who drives to Thorne for dinner the evil eye