The Bowdoin Orient

After admitting the Class of 2013, the tables turned for Interim Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Scott Meiklejohn, as the College has begun its search for a permanent appointee to his position. "I am looking for a person who can bring to the College enormously talented, diverse students from across America and the world, and who can represent the Bowdoin community...because [he or she will be] the public face of the College," said President Barry Mills.

Flu-like symptoms struck about 40 additional students this week, bringing the total number of students suspected to be infected with H1N1 from 116 last Thursday to 162 mid-afternoon yesterday, according to Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster. Of the 162 students that have exhibited symptoms of the flu, 133 have recovered and are back in classes.

In spite of the tough economy, the College was able to hire eight new faculty members this year as a result of the Capital Campaign's success.

The H1N1 virus continued its rampant spread across campus this week, bringing the total number of suspected cases among students to 116 as of Thursday afternoon. When the Orient spoke to Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster on Tuesday morning, 55 students had fallen ill with flu-like symptoms. By Thursday afternoon, that number had more than doubled.

The Peter Buck Center for Health and Fitness will open its doors at 6:30 a.m. next Tuesday, bringing 44,659 square feet of space dedicated to the wellness of the Bowdoin community to the center of campus. The Buck Center will allow "an opportunity for members of the community to pursue their health and fitness ambitions," said Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster. The fitness center will occupy the ground level and first floor of the building, the second floor will house the athletic department offices and a multipurpose space capable of seating 40 people, and Student Health Services and flexible multipurpose spaces will be located on the third floor.

As seniors put finishing touches on their résumés, sharpen their interview skills, iron their suits, and make plans for life beyond Bowdoin, there's one important consideration that seems surprisingly neglected: health care. It's a debate that is raging in both houses of Congress but, aside from these pages, is absent from our politically minded campus. Despite its current ubiquity in the news, we would be hard-pressed to find the phrase "public option" uttered anywhere at Bowdoin outside of a government class. But it's time to face the facts.

Maine is a special state, my home state, and the greatest state in the Union. Some may detest the slow-paced life style and the folksy feel, but all can admire the independence of Mainers. For outsiders, Maine's independence is made evident by the two lovely ladies representing the state in the United States Senate. Although Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe hold traditionaly conservative views towards such issues as national defense, taxes and gun rights, they have also voted consistently in support of abortion and gay rights. While many people would see this deviation from mainstream Republican positions as a sign of Maine's progressivism, it is actually a reflection of libertarian thinking.

I love Student Speak. There, I said it, for millions—or the Orient staff—to read. I by no means think that it is a perfect medium, or for that matter, funny, but I do believe with some tweaking, next week's Student Speak could be on everyone's mind. For the great majority who don't follow Students Speak, it is a last-minute section on the Opinion page featuring a question like, "What is your favorite dining hall dish?" The question is followed by five to eight answers from students collected the night before. Sans Student Speak, the section is no more entertaining than a blacked- out space, which would be a more time-efficient option for filling extra space in the Orient.

Political discourse is no longer about policy—it's a psychological power struggle predicated upon insider-versus-outsider tension. In his bid for the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama's selling point was a keen interest in change and a passion for social justice, portraying himself as a Washington newbie looking to reshuffle the deck of inside-the-Beltway political structures. To liberals, this honest sense of difference was a refreshing change to the good ol' boy antics of George W. Bush. To many conservatives, on the other hand, he was a bit too different. A foreign name, a preference for arugula and Dijon mustard, and black skin gave Obama outsider status—although perhaps not the cache he was looking for.

Bowdoin has seen a lot of change recently.
Despite talk about tough times and harsh economic realities, we've seen large-scale projects involving first year bricks, the Museum of Art, Studzinski Recital Hall, Watson and Dayton Arena, and most recently, the Peter Buck Center for Health and Wellness.

With swine flu infecting students at an increasingly ferocious pace, the virus is no longer novelty?rather, it is a routine inconvenience. On late Thursday, 116 students had presented flu-like symptoms, and though the number is large in comparison to peer schools, it still represents less than 10 percent of the student body. Given that national predictions claim infection rates of up to 50 percent on college campuses, it is likely that Bowdoin is not done with the swine flu.

Sometimes I still don't believe it ever really happened. It was a day that started off as innocently as any other; a beautiful, cloudless morning decorated with the graceful songs of the morning birds and a bright, warm sunshine that could bring a smile to even the greatest cynic's face. I was busy daydreaming and gazing longingly out the window hoping my teacher would allow her class to enjoy a quick game of kick ball when my thoughts were interrupted by the sudden, strangely-timed announcement on the PA system.

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

Recently, Der Spiegel, one of the world's most-read magazines, bore on its cover the message "The Red Light of Morning: How Left are We Headed?" Yet when one flips open its pages, there is nary a mention of Obamacare, town hall meetings, or even the Obama administration itself. Instead, inscribed in dense, heavily-umlauted text, lies an account of how the Left Party, a remnant of the old East German communist party, has been taking elections in Europe's economic heart by storm. At first glance, both these resurgences of welfare liberalism appear to be identical symptoms of the omnipresent global depression. When one digs down and examines the true shifts in power, however, it becomes apparent how shallow and confused the uproar over creeping socialism is, at least in the United States.

Looking for poems that "sing, rhyme, resound, syncopate, alliterate and just plain sound great?" Look no further than "From the Fishouse," the first anthology of poetry from the online organization, From the Fishouse. From the Fishouse is a non-profit organization started in 2004 by Bowdoin Magazine Associate Editor Matt O'Donnell and San Francisco State University professor Camille Dungy as a way to promote emerging poets through the oral tradition of poetry.

Brain salad surgery, tipping the velvet, gaining knowledge, muff diving, eating out, head job, getting dome, sucking off, rolling cigars, and lolly-gagging. Goats do it, hyenas do it, and even sheep have been known to take the plunge. Do ewe know what we're talking about? Oral sex can be a great addition to your sexual repertoire. This seductive skill is easy to learn, but hard to master.

When an incoming member of the first-year class indicated on his housing preference form that he did not want to live with a gay roommate, the Office of Residential Life knew just what to do. "We placed [him] in a building with a proctor who we knew to be out and would be comfortable...educating this person," said Associate Director of Housing Operations Lisa Rendall. Though it's too early to tell how this experiment is panning out, conscientious efforts to promote tolerance through living arrangements are not uncommon.

The second Common Hour lecture of the year features Robert Storr, a renowned figure in the contemporary art world. Storr’s experience as an art critic, museum curator, art historian and artist gives him a unique and all-encompassing perspective on his field.

The latest installment of the music department’s Teatime Concert Series will commemorate the bicentennial of the death of renowned composer Franz Joseph Haydn with a performance of two of his classical piano trios.

Michelle Oosterbaan, who visited the College this week to give an Artist’s Talk, likes to think of herself first and foremost as a visual artist. Indeed, Oosterbaan’s artistic oeuvre often transcends genre and medium.

Revolution! Paris! The 1960s! Repulsed by bourgeois propaganda, documentary filmmakers decided that truth was a matter of technique. Studio production values were out, guerilla film making in. A director’s greatest ambition? To become that “fly on the wall”: an objective observer minimally influencing his surroundings.

There is an “Aha” moment during one of those mesmerizing classes when you realize “This is what you want to be studying. This is where your passion lies.”

When it comes to technology I am something of a hypocrite. Just last week I found myself complaining to a couple of friends about Facebook and Twitter and how they are taking over the world. Then I went home, took out my laptop, went on Facebook and sent a few texts from my cell phone, all while listening to my iPod.

What happens when you take one-part Barry Mills's nephew, one-part former Miscellania member, and a crowd of aurally curious Bowdoin students? With this evening's "Shameless Plugs" concert featuring Dan Mills and Samantha Farrell '05, the Entertainment Board (E-board), is hoping for a hit. Co-President of the E-Board Chris Omachi said the "Shameless Plugs" project aims to showcase Bowdoin-related talent. The brainchild of Megan Brunmier '08, student activities advisor to the E-board. Tonight's show will be the first in what the E-board intends to make into an annual showcase.

If you have ever heard the music of Senegalese pop music star Youssou N'Dour, then it is easy to imagine how any film in which he is the subject could be electrifying, enlightening and unifying all at once. "I Bring What I Love," a documentary film directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, chronicles N'Dour's rise to national and international stardom in the 1970s and '80s, as well as his more recent and more controversial album, "Egypt."

The men's soccer team extended its winning streak to three games last weekend when it completed back-to-back shutout victories against Bates and St. Joseph's (Me.). The Polar Bears improved to 3-1 on the season (1-1 NESCAC).

Women's volleyball ended the week on an uneven note after a loss to Bates on Wednesday and last weekend's mixed results at the Tufts University Tournament. The Polar Bears opened the tournament with a 3-1 fall to Connecticut College on Friday, but returned Saturday with a well-earned 3-2 victory over Wesleyan. These two games established their conference record as 1-1; with the non-conference face off against Bates, their total record now stands at 5-2.

Bowdoin women's rugby met its match in their first regular season game. Last Saturday, the Polar Bears fell to Radcliffe College 41-10. Riding two earlier victories and an undefeated season last year, Bowdoin played strong defense for the first half, with Flanker Uche Esonu '13 scoring the first Bowdoin try.

After opening the season at the New England Regional Championships at MIT, the women's tennis team will travel to West Point this weekend, where they will compete in the Eastern Invitational.

After a victory over Bates to open the season, the men's cross-country team will once again have a chance to prove their mettle when it competes in its first major meet of the 2009 season this Saturday at the Connecticut College Invitational held at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Connecticut.

The women's cross country team opened its season with a tough loss to Bates last Saturday, but as the State Meet and NESCAC Championships approach, the Polar Bears may prove that their peak is at a new and higher level this season.

The Bowdoin College men's golf team is on the brink of breaking into the top echelon of the conference. Their consistency is slowly starting to come out, so players have to keep stepping up and carding low numbers. The starting five players have consistently steered clear of blowup holes but in order to reach the next level, the Polar Bears need to do more than just avoid those triple bogies.