The Bowdoin Orient

The legalization of gay marriage in Maine will be decided on November 3 and student groups are mobilizing. Members of the No on 1/Protect Maine Equality Campaign, in opposition of the people's veto against gay marriage, are seeking support through a grassroots campaign that has pervaded the Bowdoin campus.

Bowdoin faculty members of the government, economics, sociology and history departments weighed in on the raging health care debate and largely came out on the side of a government-regulated system. Three out of four professors argued forcefully for a government-run model, though the finer points of their positions varied.

The number of students reporting flu-like symptoms declined significantly this week from past weeks, according to Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster. Foster said that while 177 students have presented flu-like symptoms since September 3, only eight ill students were in isolation on Thursday. Of the eight students isolated, three were in singles on campus, three were in the Peter Buck Center for Health and Fitness, and two were at home.

Peer Health will distribute free emergency contraception to female students in the Smith Union conference room on Tuesday through their "EC Does It Day" program. According to peer health representative Kate Epstein '10, after speaking with a College health care provider, "all women can get free confidential Plan B."

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.

Is it the swine flu? Maybe it is the sudden realization that yes, school really has begun and yes, you do have a 10-page paper to write and a lab report due—yesterday. Whatever the cause, we have noticed a dearth in submissions to these back pages of the Orient, the Opinion section.

On October 2, filmmaker Michael Moore's latest documentary, "Capitalism: A Love Story," will be showing in theatres across the globe. If the documentary is anything like Moore's previous work, it promises to be provocative. In a Huffington Post column, Moore describes the film as an opportunity to see "the stuff the nightly news will rarely show you." Interviewing everyone from "someone" at the Wall Street Journal to a "whistleblower" on the Senate Banking Committee, Moore attempts to discredit capitalism by attributing ills of society to it.

In the debate about guns, as in so many others, neither side is willing to acknowledge the salient points and reasonable objections of their ideological opponent. Pro-gun enthusiasts believe that gun regulation is a fundamental violation of the right to self-defense and simply another case of government intrusion. Those who want more gun regulation want to prevent guns from getting into schools and the hands of criminals.

Philosopher Thomas Kuhn writes in "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" that scientists need to be committed and impassioned about the problem solving process, for on that process depends the progress of science. I think you can extrapolate to other disciplines, because what is any synthesis of ideas, really, but the solution of a problem?

"No on 1" fever has swept through Bowdoin. Popular though this stand may be, the promise of "equal rights" may have adverse repercussions for society. The law in question consoles that the State will not "interfere...with any...religious doctrine," and indeed allows religious institutions not to perform same-sex "marriages." However, religious institutions do more than perform the literal act of marrying people. They employ, educate and provide services—societal roles threatened by this legislation.

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.

Do the infamous words "Live from Pickard Theatre: Ironic T-Shirt" ring any bells? Pickard Theatre was the venue of choice whenever it was announced that Ironic T-Shirt would be previewing new skits. "Standing room only" was often broadcast to the throngs of students waiting in line for an opportunity to be among the first to see the latest creations of this comedic troupe. Though the legendary Bowdoin comedy group took a slight hiatus from creating their notorious skits, the members have recently reassembled and started filming again, adding even more parodies to their repertoire.

Armed with a handful of digital cameras and boundless enthusiasm, Rosalind Worcester '11 is crossing the globe in the name of art. After spending a summer in Nepal teaching photography to school-aged children, she is bringing the same project home to the Midcoast area. This fall, Worcester will be collaborating with fourth graders at Woodside Elementary in Topsham, Maine to teach a photography curriculum based on community and cultural awareness.

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.

Jamaican choreographer Garth Fagan, best known for his Tony Award-winning work in the Broadway stage production of Disney's "The Lion King," will conduct a lecture demonstration tonight as a part of the celebration of 40 years of Africana studies at Bowdoin.

Next time you sit down and enjoy an adult beverage, be it fermented or distilled, don't toast your friends, family or colleagues. Instead, direct your praise and goodwill toward the fungus to which man is most indebted: yeast. It is this microorganism that is responsible for your merriment and that newfound vigor in your dance step.

Picture this narrative: a young boy living and making his way in his own mini wilderness. While this may sound like the imagined utopia that many of us reveled in growing up, for alumnus Alex Bettigole '08, this narrative is one that he continues to spin in his bi-weekly Web comic Oak Street Wilds.

Flashback! Fog clears, eerie music quiets to a faint hum.

Your next ride in the Bowdoin Shuttle could end in small-scale fame and fortune. Having already debuted the third episode of "The Dorm" and the first installment of "Helmreich Survivor," the Bowdoin Cable Network (BCN) is heading into its 10th year with plans for new shows like "The Randy Ride," based on the Discovery Channel's "Cash Cab" game show.

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.

Men's soccer is the team to beat in the NESCAC. The team's current five-game tear is Bowdoin's longest winning streak since the 2003 campaign. The Polar Bears look to continue their success against Connecticut College on Saturday and Husson on Tuesday, both of which are teams that Bowdoin beat last year.

After struggling through a frustrating 2-0 loss to the Middlebury Panthers this past Saturday, the field hockey team responded with a dominating performance during a mid-week shut-out victory over the Eagles of Husson College.

The women's tennis team continues to stand strong against some of the top teams in the nation. After playing in the very competitive Eastern Invitational Tournament hosted by West Point this last weekend, the Lady Polar Bears will compete in the Gail Smith Doubles Tournament at Middlebury College next week before fall break.

Before competing in arguably its biggest meet of the season next week at the Open New England Championship, the men's cross-country team will travel to Colby on Saturday to compete against Colby and the University of Maine-Farmington.

The women's cross-country team has its sights set on outpacing both Colby and University of Maine-Farmington in this weekend's meet at Colby, after a strong performance last weekend. The Bears look to quicken the pace after a third-place finish last Saturday in the Connecticut College Invitational.

The men's tennis team had its performance cut short at the ITA New England Championships at Williams College this weekend, with none of the Polar Bears' teams advancing past the third round. After early eliminations in both singles and doubles, the team now looks ahead to the Stony Brook Invitational on October 10, hoping to use the experience it gained at this tournament as an opportunity to grow and improve.

The women's volleyball team ended its week on a positive note with Tuesday's dramatic 3-0 sweep against the University of New England. The victory was especially welcome for the team after a series of difficult games during last weekend's Tufts Invitational, where the Polar Bears' Friday success against Wellesley was followed by successive losses to Tufts, MIT and NYU.