The Bowdoin Orient

Between September and May of this academic year, a projected total of 215 students will study abroad in 46 different countries. Eighteen juniors will remain abroad for the entire year. The OCS has reported that this year an estimated 47.1 percent of the Class of 2013 will study abroad, a marginal increase from 46.8 percent of the Class of 2012.

The Brunswick Variety Deli increased its security measures following its September 29 burglary. During the early morning hours of that day, a burglar pried open the rear door of the deli, stealing change, cigarettes, and a safe containing $4,500.

Bowdoin Health Services has switched the brand of its complimentary condoms from ONE to Trojan for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) members assembled Wednesday for their weekly meeting and voted on a variety of issues ranging from the reinstatement of student organization charters to the purchase of 200 movie tickets from Regal Cinema for student use.

Since he was 11, Matt Roberts '93 knew that he wanted to work for David Letterman.

At Super Snack last Saturday night, students might have noticed a mysterious lack of salt and pepper shakers in Thorne Dining Hall.

In the wake of a controversial sermon and the suspension of funding from the Office of Multicultural Student Programs, Bowdoin Christian Fellowship (BCF) will not seek further financial support from the College, according to BCF advisor Rob Gregory. The decision to withdraw funds followed a September 18 sermon that prompted two students to walk out of the service in response to what they considered homophobic remarks. Without College funding to pay for speakers' honoraria, BCF's visiting speakers will appear at chapel services on a volunteer basis.

The Office of Safety and Security released the 2010 Annual Report on Campus Crime, Fires, Alcohol and Illegal Drugs in an email to the Bowdoin community on Monday. Changes in the numbers between 2009 and 2010 did not illustrate any conclusive themes. The annual report is federally mandated by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998.

Once again, seniors are looking for jobs, and the economy remains in the wood chipper. Luckily, many of the jobs offered this fall by the Career Planning Center (CPC) are quite well paid. However, not all of us want to make bank working at a bank.

The Occupy Wall Street protests that have sprouted up in cities across the globe have garnered considerable public attention. Supporters have taken particular pleasure in a recent survey conducted by the GfK Roper Public Affairs consulting firm, which found that over a third of Americans support the "99-percenters" and that 58 percent oppose current American politics.

After being on the run for nearly two months, Muammar el-Qaddafi was found in a sewer outlet in his hometown of Sirte.

At a recent convention of religious conservatives, Pastor Robert Jeffress used his introduction of Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry as an opportunity to attack rival candidate Mitt Romney's Mormon faith.

Yesterday, Bowdoin students emerged en masse sporting yellow T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase, "Respect. All sexualities. All genders." The second-annual "Yellow Shirt Day" is organized by the Bowdoin Queer Straight Alliance (BQSA) in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) community at the College.

This week marked the midpoint of the semester, and students are sleeplessly wandering the campus. Yes, the usual procrastination is partly to blame. But the main reason is that every class seems to have a midterm scheduled or a paper due.

In 1973, Maine held its first election that permitted same-day registration. For the first time in the state's history, citizens were able to make their way over to the polling booth, register, and then vote—all in one fell swoop.

There has been a good bit of coverage in the Orient about the decision to redirect the funding for Sunday evening chapel services. I thought it best to directly address this issue as this is an important matter for our community.

It's only been a couple months since the semester started, but I must profess, I'm already counting down the days until the first snowfall. I've always thought that winter is the best time of year to be at Bowdoin and I've found that our first big snowstorm usually closely tails Thanksgiving Break.

So I guess it's time I wrote a positive thing or two about an eatery in the greater Brunswick area, and because I rarely even speak in positive terms, this might prove difficult.

I took no pleasure in watching her take that first bite. The rhythmic movements of her cheek muscles served to disguise the pain and anguish behind her gray-blue eyes. She knew what she was doing, I suppose.

Although it's over six months away, Ivies is already generating buzz on campus. The Entertainment Board's (E-Board), recent survey—which received over 1,000 student responses—posed questions to determine what kind of concert Bowdoin students want for their Ivies Weekend.

The theatre department delayed its debut of "Doll House" after Lucas O'Neil '12 stepped down from his role as the show's male lead for personal reasons. Andre Demers, a Portland resident and 2010 graduate of Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., will be taking his place.

The BCMA, having sustained the foot traffic from scores of Hopperphiles this fall, is trading coastlines for skylines in a tribute to another Maine artist. BCMA's newest exhibit, "After Atget: Todd Webb Photographs New York and Paris" opens today, featuring the photographs of Todd Webb (1905-2000) and his predecessor French photographer Eugène Atget (1857-1927).

In the spring of my freshman year, Greg Johnson '77 gave a talk about his life as a film producer in Hollywood. He showed his film "Smoke" (1995) and shared some interesting production stories before taking questions. After a few job-related inquiries, someone jokingly asked, "Why do movies suck today?" Some laughed, some were taken aback, but Johnson took the question very seriously.

Over the course of the past decade, Coldplay has become one of the most famous alternative rock sensations in the world, producing four multi-platinum albums and selling over 50 million copies. At the same time, the group has garnered critical acclaim, including an astounding seven Grammys and six Brit Awards. It is against this impressive backdrop that Coldplay released their fifth studio album, "Mylo Xyloto," on October 24.

"There is no bad here... except for the things that aren't good." Reassurances like this are typical of filmmaker Jon Gunn, who led an engaging writing and directing workshop with humor and wit last Friday.

First years Emily Tucker and Matt Goodrich blazed into the WBOR scene this September with the debut of "Power Out Radio," an hour-long program on Sunday nights devoted to the best of contemporary alternative and classic rock.

Renowned printmaker and public artist Tomie Arai will arrive on campus on Monday to kick off a week of print media collaborations.

Up until now, Beirut has always held a special place in my heart. Their first two albums rank among my favorites of the past decade. Their French- and Balkan-inspired sound distinguishes them from many others in the contemporary alternative music scene today. I listened to their songs countless times in my high school days. On numerous occasions, I've spent hours online downloading any unreleased demos I could find, some of which are now amongst my favorite Beirut tracks.

A year ago, nobody would have guessed that the men's rugby team would be seeded first in the New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU). But after a 3-0 victory over Colby last week, the team is approaching its final weekend in good position.

After seven winless overtime matches, women's soccer finally experienced the other side. The Polar Bears beat Trinity last Saturday in a 3-2 overtime thriller. Although Bowdoin was outshot 21-11, the team managed to secure the crucial victory.

The football team expected a tough game from the Trinity Bantams last weekend, but ended up on the wrong side of a blowout and lost 31-0.

The Polar Bears missed fifth place by just one point this weekend at the most competitive trophy event of the fall season, the Oberg Trophy at MIT. Sailing to sixth place were Pete Edmunds '14, Mae Speight '13, captain Jeff Goodrich '12, Clare Henry '12, Kaylee Schwitzer '15, and Ayaka Okawa '14.

With a late 1-0 victory over No. 16 Trinity last Saturday, the undefeated field hockey team (14-0) clinched its first NESCAC tournament No. 1 seed since 2007. The team outscored its opponents 48-9 over the course of the season. The winning goal was scored by captain Ella Curren '12 late in the second half, and earned her NESCAC Player of the Week honors.