The Bowdoin Orient

Concern about political bias in the classroom, which has long been a topic of debate in academia, has re-emerged on campus in recent weeks. ?I?ve had teachers who have had such an agenda because of their political biases that they refuse to even entertain ideas which disagree with their own,? Ferd Convery '06 said.

Millions of Americans will learn about Alex Cornell du Houx '06 on national television soon?though they won't read about him in Bowdoin Magazine, which recently pulled a piece on Cornell du Houx and his political opponent Dan Schuberth '06 amid controversy. A crew from NBC's flagship news broadcast, "Nightly News with Brian Williams," will be on campus Monday and Tuesday to report on the political activist's upcoming deployment to Iraq in the U.S. Marine Corps, Cornell du Houx said.

Evening conflicts are becoming more prevalent in the Bowdoin community?so prevalent that College officials say the conflicts may be interfering with education. Administrators are seeking solutions to the problem of conflicting responsibilities such as class review sessions, movie screenings, and tests are conflicting with musical rehearsals and sports practices.

At about 1:30 a.m. this morning, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget that may significantly cut college students' financial aid packages. Despite House Democrats' opposition of the spending-cuts bill, the resolution passed by a vote of 217-215.

With registration for next semester's courses underway, Brunswick residents will continue to have the opportunity to audit courses at the College. Every semester, a small number of local residents opt to audit Bowdoin courses. According to the Office of Student Records, there are 39 people auditing courses this semester. No distinction is made, however, between local residents, students, or faculty members auditing the courses.

We applaud the College?s decision to create a trial of extended hours at the Dudley Coe Health Center to include the weekends. From November 20 until Spring Break, the Health Center will be open for students on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Afterward, the College will make a decision regarding whether or not the hours should become permanent.

The Bush administration's raison d'?tre is war in the Middle East in order to protect America from terrorism and to insure its oil supply. This approach wasn't suddenly formed in response to September 11, or United Nations grappling with Saddam Hussein. The neo-conservatives who are currently in control have long held plans for regime changes in several countries, and for years they have been attacking the moral, constitutional, and legal arguments for less aggressive foreign policy. According to the long-published writings of the neo-cons, Middle East war is needed to protect Israel and preserve a holy Pax Americana. Senior policymakers also hold a blind faith in the idea, embraced first by FDR and adopted by every administration since, that military force is an effective tool for securing foreign sources of petroleum.

The Carpenters have always told us that "breaking up is hard to do." And for anyone who has ever dumped someone, or been dumped, or has been friends with someone who has been dumped, you know just how true those lyrics can be. The end of a relationship, regardless of the length or intensity of emotion involved, is always a tragedy on some level. You no longer have someone to quote poetry to in your AIM profile, and your extra long twin bed feels empty. You miss his smile, or her eyes, and you really miss getting a piece of him or her on a regular basis. The sun stops shining, the birds stop chirping, and you begin to realize how small a Chamberlain double actually is now that you're sleeping there every single night.

To the Editors: As a Maine resident and Bowdoin parent, I am disappointed to learn that apparently a substantial number of out-of-state Bowdoin students were coerced into last-minute trips to the polls November 8, simply to cast an emotional vote on Question 1 while disregarding the rest of the ballot issues entirely.

To the Editors: We read with interest Chris Marotta's piece on student reactions to last week's Maine referendum, affirming voters' support for gay rights. In a puzzling quote, Alex Linhart '06 asserts that, "Maine is making a mistake...regulation depresses economic growth, and that's not what we want." We expect that maximizing economic growth was on few voters' minds when they decided how to vote on Question 1. And describing a law broadening gay people's civil rights as "regulation" seems to miss the essential point. Leaving that aside, the voters' rejection of Question 1 makes good economic sense.

To the Editors: Chelsea Germeyan's article last week on the Poeting-sponsored Poetry Slam showed that once again, the Orient has failed to understand Poeting. Germeyan writes that "attendees should be forewarned that what awaits them are not soft, calm pieces, but rather energetic, competitive, dynamic original works."

To the Editors: I am writing to express my appreciation for the back calendar page, which often goes unnoticed despite its invaluable contribution to every student's social planning.

Two teams this season have especially highlighted the strength of Bowdoin Athletics. The field hockey and football teams' athletic achievements have made the campus proud?they have exceeded all expectations and we congratulate them for their accomplishments.

With the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, one issue quickly rose above all others with those preparing to question his record. Alito's opinion on abortion is clear, whether one consults his 90-year-old mother (who has already gained notoriety in the press for confidently proclaiming her son's pro-life beliefs), or some of the 350 opinions he has written.

There is an issue at Bowdoin that hardly anyone talks about. No, I am not talking about race. I am talking about social class, an issue so taboo that you are practically labeled a card-carrying communist just for bringing it up. Social class is likely to be one of the defining issues of our generation, yet it is an issue that is largely ignored here. In a time of ever-rising income inequality, it is time that we bring this issue out into the open and engage in open discussion about it.

My mind was just blank at the time?I was 17. I was like, wow, that guy's dead.

Dear Dr. Jeff: A friend of mine cuts her arms. She says she's not suicidal or anything, but she can't stop doing it. I'm getting a little freaked out by it. -P.E.B

John Pizzarelli, performing in a quartet at Kresge Auditorium tonight at 7:30 p.m., is no small fish in the sea of great jazz musicians. Bowdoin lured Pizzarelli to Bowdoin by promising him a "full appreciative audience," according to the Music Department's concert, budget and equipment manager Delmar Small.

Nobody knows Bowie like David Brighten, widely considered the world's best impersonator of the eclectic rock-and-roll superstar. Nobody, that is, except for Krystle Allen '08, who has spent the past two months raising $10,000 dollars to bring Brighten to campus. Tonight students can live the David Bowie experience in all of its theatrical glory at a free show to benefit the Red Cross, starting at 8:00 p.m. in the David Saul Smith Union.

"This weapon of television could be useful," once said the real Edward R. Murrow, broadcast journalist for CBS during the McCarthy era. "Stonewall Jackson, who knew something about the use of weapons, is reported to have said, 'When war comes, you must draw the sword and throw away the scabbard.' The trouble with television is that it is rusting in the scabbard during a battle for survival."

Belfast Bay Lobster Ale ($7.99 for a six-pack at Uncle Tom's) This Maine classic is the first American red ale I have reviewed so far this year. Presenting itself with a catchy, cliché Maine label, this Lobster Ale looks as though it were bottled right on the lobster boat, with a tasteful blend of the industry's characteristic reds and whites.

Slam poetry is not for the faint of heart. Attendees of a slam poetry competition?like the one planned for this Saturday evening?should be forewarned that what awaits them are not soft, calm pieces, but rather energetic, competitive, dynamic original works, often resembling the style of rap.

Imagine a war movie devoid of any actual warfare and you have Sam Mendes's latest and most fibrous effort, Jarhead. Deliberate and dramatically tapered, Mendes' dreamscape of U.S. Marines and the maddeningly elusive battlefront of Operation Desert Storm is both sobering and intoxicating. Rightfully absolving itself of the need to politicize its subject matter, Jarhead makes it a duty to immerse the viewers in the life of the soldier instead.

Though the campus has yet to receive any snow, telemark junkies will get first tracks this weekend. Today the Bowdoin Outing Club and New England Telemark (NET) will bring the third annual telemark film festival. The festival was created by Biff Higgison and Matt O'Donnell, members of New England Telemark, which is one of the nation's largest and most qualified organizations dedicated to the sport of telemark skiing.

After a very successful 2004-2005 season, the Bowdoin Women's Basketball Team has added another weapon to its arsenal: Julie Veilleux. But instead of a reliable outside shot or a presence in the paint, Veilleux's contribution will be from the sidelines as an assistant coach.

The men's and women's squash teams warmed up for their intercollegiate seasons in the Maine Open at Bowdoin's Lubin Squash Center. Players from around the state and beyond, age 19 to over 65, gathered for the United States Squash Racquet Association tournament.

The Bowdoin Swimming and Diving Team kicked off the season with an unofficial relay meet against Colby and Bates at Colby College on Saturday.