Aug
30
2007

URLs du Jour

2007-08-30

  • My employer, the University of New Hampshire, was on the receiving end of an e-mailed bomb threat on Monday, causing quite a bit of consternation on campus. The alleged target was the Admissions Office, and another undisclosed location. The all-clear was sent out shortly after noon, and the event was deemed a hoax.

    Now, as it turns out, we weren't alone; at least seven universities nationwide got such threats, at least two referring to the admissions office.

    Great, that's all we need: bomb-threat spammers. There's no mention of whether the e-mail included a pitch for cheap Viagra.

  • In other University news, Tufts seems to be going all good cop/bad cop on its free speech policies. The Torch updates the case of the University's retaliation, via its "Committee on Student Life", against Tuft's conservative newspaper The Primary Source. Tuft's president, Lawrence Bacow, now says:
    While Tufts is a private institution and not technically bound by First Amendment guarantees, it is my intention to govern as President as if we were. To put it another way, I believe that students, faculty, and staff should enjoy the same rights to freedom of expression at Tufts as they would if they attended or worked at a public university. With the exception of the recent [Committee on Student Life] decision, we have operated in the past as if such rights applied. I will work with the Board of Trustees to formalize this policy.
    Admirable! However, Tufts' Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser was less enthused than President Bacow. He reversed the (odious) decision of the Committee on Student Life requiring The Primary Source to byline all its articles. But he made a point of saying:
    I leave untouched the remainder of the committee's opinion.
    Ooh, weaselly! Translation for current and prospective potentially-outspoken Tufts students: your free speech rights are in a little better shape than they were a few days ago, but they rely on the whims of the current crop of administrators to save you from the censorious actions of the Committee on Student Life. Who knows where they'll be in the future?

  • A few days ago, I proposed the theory that major media outlets put in the third string during August. The New York Times provides further evidence for that theory.

  • Let's see: Rob Port doesn't like Mike Huckabee. Philip Klein doesn't like Mike Huckabee. Via that link, I learn that probably Jeremy Lott doesn't like Mike Huckabee. Mary Katherine Ham doesn't like Mike Huckabee. The Club for Growth doesn't like Mike Huckabee. He was one of nine governors to receive an F on the Cato Institute's Policy Report Card on America's Governors last year, and I think that means they don't like Mike Huckabee.

    Gosh, Mike. To quote Dr. Evazan: I don't like you either.

  • Speaking of Star Wars—and I was, pay attention out there—Double Viking has come up with 50 reasons why it's better than Star Trek, and any geek will want to check that out. (Via BBSpot.)

  • OK, so New Republic published made-up crap about Iraq. But I'll give them a little goodwill credit against that debt for "Flower Bauer", script excerpts from the Janeane Garofalo-influenced 24.
    Ext. Dam - day Jack, gun in hand, hurries across the enormous dam. He speaks to Chloe via cell phone.

    JACK BAUER
    Chloe, do you copy?

    CHLOE O'BRIAN
    Yes, Jack.

    JACK BAUER
    This is very important: I need you to Tivo Charlie Rose for me. Leonardo DiCaprio is talking about the disappearing honeybees.

    CHLOE O'BRIAN
    Let me see if I can get into your Tivo controls from here. (TYPES RAPIDLY) I'm in.


Last Modified 2012-10-17 3:41 PM EDT