30 Year-Old Freshman

Ask Marvel Comics to Join the It Gets Better Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:36:00 +0000

As a student at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX, as a student of LGBT Studies, and as a supporter of the It Gets Better and Trevor Projects, I recently stumbled upon several positive LGBT characters in the Marvel Universe during my research in attempt to present the first LGBT Studies class at Texas State—characters like Northstar (the first mainstream comic book character to come out of the closet,) and Wiccan and his boyfriend Hulkling—two super-powered teens who become the first mainstream teenage superheroes to form a gay relationship. But older, more established characters who were unable to come out due to certain more heteronormative elements at Marvel and in the comic book industries also inspire: characters like Mystique and Destiny—two characters who would form a relationship, and even though denied by the editor, the head writer (Chris Carter) wished for them to have a biological daughter (he changed the story to make it an adopted daughter) in the character of Rouge.

Flipping through newer comics during my research, I was reminded of my own childhood and how much Marvel comics and their titles, specifically the X-Men, meant to me. Although during much of my childhood, the heteronormative resistance made it impossible for any superheroes to come out as LGBT, and yet I found so much inspiration in titles like the “X-Men.” I learned through their characters and storylines that difference was a cause for celebration with characters like Storm (an African princess,) and Professor Xavier (an MLK-analog who formed a school and taught others to embrace themselves and diversity.) I learned of the power of faith in people and the basic goodness inherent in the human condition, with my teachers being Nightcrawler and Kitty Pryde. But most of all, I learned that being different isn’t a bad thing; just because I was different didn’t mean that I was bad or evil, just misunderstood—I could be a good person, a good friend, and even a superhero! The point is that Marvel always tackled real-world problems and ended-up giving us tales that were not only entertaining, but also hopeful and educational.

Now, we have a new generation of superheroes and Marvel has again led the charge in producing LGBT characters with dignity and integrity, characters that are not only in the background, but also in superheroes unafraid to help others. I applaud Marvel for their strong, positive stance in this regard. This is why I want to ask Marvel to join the “It Gets Better” campaign. Think of the positive affect hearing from their LGBT heroes in an animated video that it’s okay to be LGBT would have on a questioning young person. Even better, Marvel could created a one-off, limited edition “It Gets Better” comic for the fans for LGBT youth centers to give out—I know I’d buy several and would proudly give them out to LGBT youth centers. Heck, I’d like to have one just for myself. They’d sell like hotcakes, but they’d also be for a very good cause. I know, and thank Marvel, for their free "Captain America: I Am an Avenger" issue, "A Little Help," but I think they should actually join the campaign full-steam ahead.

Please consider signing my petition and ask Marvel to get involved in the It Gets Better Project! For more about LGBT comic characters, check-out this link to a comprehensive list (http://queersupe.com/a-z-lbgt-comic-book-character-superlist/)

Sarah Palin, Please Run For President in 2012—The Country Needs You!

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:13:00 +0000

Now that the United States is facing the worst recession seen in decades, depressing jobless rates, and increased competition from the looming threat of the Red Dragon, we need a presidential candidate like Sarah “Mama Grizzly” Palin. We need a candidate with unquestionable potential… to make the nation fall over clutching our sides at said candidate’s vacuous, inane attempts at understanding grade school American history. We need a candidate who will compose speeches like she’s playing Mad Libs, randomly inserting words and phrases like “shore up,” and “take our arms,” and “maverick.” We need a candidate who can cheer on the nation while completely destroying any credibility she or her Alaskan version of the Beverly Hillbillies family ever had by claiming to be right even when she’s clearly wrong… on everything… at all times.

Michele Bachmann is not enough! Imagine the buddy sketches with Tina Fey as presidential candidate Palin along side Amy Poehler as presidential candidate Bachmann, portraying together this Bachmann-Palin Overdrive ticket. Imagine Fey contracting word diarrhea and trailing off until she give the camera a simple wink to signify that she’s finished embarrassing herself while awaiting the next question and Poehler staring vacantly into the camera like a deer in headlights, looking as if her forehead, minus the absent brain, my collapse at any moment under the weight of her bangs. Picture every American with over three working brain cells praying for telekinetic powers à la Carrie to strangle Bachmann with her own pearls, and then proceed to beat Palin to death with Trig, the child Palin uses more as a prop than a child and as a human shield to fend off any legitimate criticism leveled against her by her social and intellectual betters.

Sarah, you owe it to the fans of your babbling, bungling blather to continue to point out the lamestream media’s—by the way, you seem to have a problem with people using the word retarded, but you seem to have no problem referencing the lame in a similar derogatory manner—“gotcha” questions, like: “What do you read?” and “Where are you going?” We need your folksy stupidity and laughably vague “ideas.” We need your twisted, childishly simple logic—I mean, I can see the moon from my house, but that doesn’t make me an astronaut.

In short, Ms. Palin, we need you to make a fool of yourself in the most public manner possible—we need you to aim for the impossible, knowing that you can and will fail. In failing, you will bring joy to millions of Americans that actually can do something to help this nation by using the brain God saw fit to revoke from you. Sarah Palin, please run (and lose the race) for president in 2012.

Summer Grant for Summer School in Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:14:00 +0000

Although the state and the federal government may soon be slashing student financial aid--something not at all advisable, given the importance of an educated workforce to keep the economy going--there is still some sources of aid available, if only for a limited time.

The state of Texas and U.S. Board of Higher Education have teamed up to offer a one-time grant for college juniors and seniors to complete their degree requirements on time with a summer grant.

The Final Stretch Grant requirements are as follows:

At the time of application, be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident.
At the time of application, be a “bona fide” Texas resident. Nonresident students who are eligible to pay resident tuition rates are not eligible.
Be eligible to receive a federal Pell Grant for the 2010-2011 academic year. To be considered for an award, an applicant must have applied for financial assistance by completing the Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) and show an EFC of $5273, or less. FAFSA information and instructions can be found at: www.fafsa.gov.
Be classified as a Junior or Senior (completed at least 60 college credit hours) and enroll full-time (at least 6 hours) for a summer 2011 semester in an approved two- or four-year college or university, or accredited proprietary school in the United States.

NOTE: Students who enroll in an institution other than their home institution for the summer term are eligible only if they are considered regular transfer students at the summer institution. Transient students are not eligible.

For more information and to apply for the grant, you'll need to visit College for all Texans.

Opportunity For College Blogger(s)!

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 21:11:00 +0000

S.B. Bryan and 30-Year-Old Freshman are looking for a blogging partner for two sites I started a while ago and I have little time to work on.

Of course, this blog is my first and my baby, so it has (and will) come first, so I've had little time to maintain and work with two other blogs that I have designed and created domains for... They are www.allcollegeapps.com (a site to review, talk about, and post links to applications for iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile devices with a slat to apps useful for college students) and www.collegeofblog.com (a blog about starting a college-centered blog).

I am looking for partners with blogging experience for both. You should have an extensive blog (personal or other subject matter is fine, as long as you prove you can write persuasively and coherently about a non-personal topic.) We can work-out the particulars of the partnership at a later time, but you will be responsible for all content, the quality of said content, and the sales side of bringing new ad business to the blog. I will be responsible for the management on the business side. That is, I will create the sales contracts (though you will negotiate the commissions for placing ads, etc.--I can guide you on what is appropriate,) I will make sure the site is up-and-running on a daily basis, I will also work to get us listed on blog networking sites and I will use my influence as a popular college blogger to build the blog reputation. I will split all commissions from the blog with the partner 30%/70%; I will take the 30% for management and you will take 70% of all proceeds.

We will work out the details after you contact me. E-mail me at bailey@30yofreshman.com for more information.

Happy Blogging!

One Word To Help Your Life (Love, Or Otherwise) This Valentine's Day: Risk

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:48:00 +0000

If you want to avoid rejection, never do anything and never be anything. Failure is scary, certainly, but you're sure to fail if you never try at all.

Psychologists suggest something they call re-framing. They suggest putting a new frame, the best possible construction, on any situation. So that hottie in math class isn't interested? Maybe he/she is seeing someone. Maybe they are attracted to your exact opposite. Could be that they're looking for a sugardaddy/mama. Who knows? You can't know for sure, so why do you automatically assume it's because you're not attractive?

Despite what the media has tried to make you believe, there are many different kinds of attractive, not just the kind that lives in Hollywood. There's the sexy brainiac, the sweet charmer, the romantic hero/heroine, the boy/girl nextdoor... There is an endless supply of attractive personalities out there, and you can have one of them if you let the real you shine through and stop avoiding rejection.

Valentine's Day is also Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Now think, if you will, what might have happened to our country if Abe was so afraid of rejection that he just let the South leave the Union without a fight, never freed the slaves, and never ran for president at all! Abe took risks, and he was rejected, but he kept taking more risks and some people (no matter how few) accepted him.

From Dear Blank, Please Blank

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 01:11:00 +0000

"Dear student,

I have your life. If you ever want to see it again, you will bring me $40,000. You must additionally work as my unpaid servant for four years.

Sincerely, college"

From Dear Blank, Please Blank

50 Mistakes College Students Make

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 02:42:00 +0000

It’s alright to make some mistakes, as long as you learn from them. College is a time to adapt to your world and adapt your worldview to best serve you. However, there are mistakes that can be irreparable if you don’t watch your step. With that in mind, here is a list of 50 mistakes that are common among college students.

Spend dollars to save pennies
Rack-up huge credit card debts
Fail to network
Fail to get involved in campus organizations (also, see #3)
Don’t parlay short-term failure into long-term success
Drop a project at the first roadblock
Spend more time socializing than studying
Turn down learning experiences to party, or worse, to do repetitive school work—you're in college to learn, even if you don’t make a good grade
Let one mistake ruin an entire experience
Trust people you shouldn’t
Judge a book by it’s cover
Shun someone over nothing
Don’t start a savings account
Treat financial aid as income or inheritance
Don’t accept internships
Believe that good enough, is good enough
Get all A’s in all classes—this smacks to some potential employers as a dangerous perfectionist who might fall apart at the first sign of failure (see #s 6 and 9)
Make too many enemies
Don’t make any enemies—this means you’re probably not doing anything significant
Buy stocks or gamble on credit
Take a non-relevant paying job over a relevant non-paying internship
Fail to see college as an investment
Pass on opportunities to gain exposure and resume-building experience
Fail to write and build a resume
Fail to learn how to write well and persuasively
Don’t step outside the box of their racial, ethnic, or social class
Fail to differentiate their views from that of their parents or guardians
Disagree with someone based upon superficial reasons
Agree with someone based on superficial reasons
Confuse alcohol with therapy
Fail to take advantage of all the tools available for your academic, cognitive, personal, and professional development
Don’t talk to someone of a different background than themselves
Become too fanatical about a cause or idea—you’re in college to explore new possibilities
Let stress break you
Become a perfectionist
Become a slacker
Do only what is expected of you an no more
Fail to cultivate an interest or passion
Choose a degree or career based totally on the money you believe you can make in that career
Don’t enjoy your college experience
Believe themselves above improvement in any respect
Buy gold—it’s an awful investment… If gold were so valuable, why would gold sellers so willingly part with their precious, precious gold for your worthless money?
Do anything based on fear—it doesn’t pay off in the long run
Fail to start building a career while still in college
Avail themselves of opportunities to travel while educating themselves—Cancun doesn’t count!
Don’t give someone the benefit of the doubt
Move in with someone without giving the relationship (whether friendship or a romantic entanglement) significant time to develop
Fail to see potential in themselves and others
Don’t take care of their physical and psychological health
Go at it all alone—this blog and many, many others are hear to help you make the most of your college career.

Right-Wing Tries To Misinterpret Ethanol Study To Demonize Alternative Fuel Sources

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:22:00 +0000

Misdirection and disingenuous use of scientific data has long been the arsenal of smarmy politicians of every creed and color. The reason that these tactics have become so dangerous as of late is that the Internet generation is one of the most gullible ever to walk this earth. Add gullibility to the tendency toward easily accepting information (whether fact or fictions) that reinforces personal belief and we have a recipe for disaster.

A few nights ago, I was flipping channels past Fox "News"--I feel the need to place news in quotes, because I don't want to insult honest and genuine news organizations by association--to hear John Stossel (fresh from selling his soul to Ruppert Murdock) berating a politician for wanting to subsidize ethanol pumps at gas stations around the nation. He even goes so far as to call an interviewee a "parasite." What legitimate journalist, I ask you, would stoop to childish name calling? Might I take this time to suggest a new tag line for Fox: "Reaching Newer Lows In Journalism." He then cuts away to an "expert" to somehow confirm that what Stossel already believes. The problems being: 1) he does little to qualify this person as an expert, and 2) perhaps most exasperatingly of all, he never asks this ethanol expert why ethanol is worse for the environment than gasoline. He relies instead on over-the-top emotive language and theatricality to demonize any proponent of ethanol. The none-too-overt message? Aren't you smart for watching Fox "News," where we're the only ones that tell you the truth! What I don't understand is why people KEEP swallowing that disgusting underestimation of your intelligence wrapped in gimmicky theatrics.

Being a healthy skeptic and an inquisitive mind, I later googled to learn if there is really in basis in the idea that ethanol is worse for the environment than gasoline--being that I wasn't informed of any reason, real or theorized, why ethanol is worse for the environment despite the premise that news is, by nature, informative--to find several right-wing websites that have the duplicity to name themselves things like The American Thinker. Is that what we've come to? Are we so polarized in this country as to believe anyone that doesn't agree with our loosely-factually based opinions to be stupid or dull? Oh, and guess what? The study isn't even "new;" it's from two years ago.

It only took three good minutes of googling to discover the truth: the way we obtain ethanol may be more harmful to the environment as many farmers in our capatialism=Jesus-love economy may clear land containing CO2-eating trees and food for consumption to grow and process corn to be made into ethanol. Here's the thing: this study really isn't groundbreaking, as the right would have you believe. Both opponents and proponents have known all of this for quite a while, but now the lackluster, intellectually incurious feel they can cloak their informed opinions in science. Well, I'm afraid not.

Ethanol, when grown and harvested ethically in a conscientious manner, is better for the environment and a cleaner fuel source. The issue is that, when corn for making ethanol takes up land that is forest land filled with trees that eat CO2 to meet energy demands, they create a "carbon debt" that can't be made-up for by burning ethanol. Also, if this land now used for ethanol corn was previously used to grow crops for food because the farmer can get more money out of corn for ethanol, then that may create a food deficiency and drive up the cost of food. That is not the same thing as the premise of both Fox "New" or The American Thinker: ethanol is worse for the environment than gas. Once again, this is an over-simplified, partisan opinion that has superimposed itself over actual science.

If you want to know more about this less-than-groundbreaking study. Please (carefully) read the real article about the study in Scientific American.

In the interest of a better-informed public, here are some tips on processing information (or misinformation) give to you as "news":

Be Skeptical - Regardless of what you might have been taught in school, healthy skepticism is a good thing. It keeps us from buying ocean-front property in Arizona and other cliches about naivete.

Access the Motive - The historical basis of the news is to inform; unfortunately, many "news" outlets have switched to another model of communication: persuasive communication.

Disregard Theatricality and Overly Emotive Tone of Voice or Expression - Many unscrupulous news sources use entertainment to dissuade their audiences from actually paying attention to the really message of their broadcast.

Count Questions - 'Why ask why?' might have worked for Bud Dry, but it shouldn't work for you. Interviews mean asking questions and if the interviewer asks few, then you can be sure they are trying to persuade you to mode of thinking, rather than simply inform. Loaded and rhetorical questions don't count. By the way, this is how morons like Michele Bachmann seem like they might be coherent on Fox "News," but are braying idiots on real news sources.

Check Their Sources - It sounds like a given, but few people actually try to prove or disprove what they've heard on a "trusted" news source. If they don't attempt to prove, with real, scientific facts and figures, the side they are trying to present, you can be sure that they are hiding something.

Be an informed news consumer people, or else we're all going to hell in a hand basket. Frankly, if things keep going like they've been, I'm moving to the U.K.

Book Buybacks or The Art of the Fast-Cash Textbook Deal

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:52:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again. True, you’ve started seeing menorahs and holly hanging in the halls, but that’s not the time to which I refer. I’m referring to the time of year when we take our parent’s hard-earned money in the form of a textbook we opened once (okay, maybe twice) and sell it back to the bookstore for easy money with which to buy your significant other a gift. Am I right?

But so many of us make mistakes selling books back. Sure, they’ll pay $2 for your book and sell it for $18—we know this, but how do you get the most money outta that used, ratty copy of Communication Disorders?

The mistakes and missteps I see on campus are myriad. I am a great deal older than most of my peers, after all. But no error quite gobsmacks quite like watching a student pay $300 for a textbook and then accepting a buyback offer of $16 bucks! Then again, what’s that cash-starved (or food-starved) student to do? I have the answer: be an informed consumer.

Buying and Selling Cohesively

Selling a textbook for a favorable price begins with buying a textbook in favorable condition. Don’t accept any old, moldy tome they have sopping up the results of the fateful encounter between a rainstorm and a leaky roof. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen students try to sell back books in the very same conditions in which they purchased them, only to have them refused because they are in poor condition.

Not only do you need to take good care of your books, you need to buy them in reasonable shape as well. If you don’t trust your bookstore, then you can try and purchase your books during a buyback time and take them to another bookstore to get a buyback quote. Although, you should be aware that many school bookstores have adopted a policy of not selling books at the same time as buyback season—this makes it easier for employees to detect theft with multiple people walking in and out with books; it curbs the phenomenon of students getting their parents to purchase books that they don’t intend to use and then promptly selling said books for easy money; it also has the welcomed side effect of curbing obtainment of comparison quotes for selling back your book. Really, it makes good business for the stores to adopt such tactics, but it isn’t necessarily to your benefit. Still you can get comparative quotes.

Selling Has Become as Easy as Buying Because of the Internet

Sites like our partner, Campus Books, offer a way for you to find the cheapest book prices and the best buy back rates at the stores selling textbooks online. We have a widget to the side of this blog that allows you to get buying, selling, and rental rates from dozens of web-stores and compare them for the best prices.

You may still want to get quote from a physical bookstore, in addition to the online quote, but being an informed consumer means knowing all of your options before making a decision. Often, I’ll print out the quotes from the online stores when I go to get a quote from a physical school bookstore. At the very least, this enables me to remember if I can get a better price online and sometime it’s a great bargaining tool. Recently, I was offered $10 for a book that I can sell to an online buyback at $28. Shop around, folks!

Don’t Accept Just Any Offer

Another blunder I see my fellow students make is that they go for the easy option—they take whatever is offered them. The employees that run the buybacks know their stuff and are taught to low-ball. Low-balling is the practice of offering a reasonable, yet low amount for something expecting that the seller will haggle to find a middle ground. Here’s the thing: haggle! Trust me, my sister was on buyback for a school bookstore for years. If she didn’t like you, she hit a button and the offer for that Chemistry book went down $5. If you accept a low-balled figure—and most students do—then the store wins without trying. You should work to make the transaction more fair for you.

As one of my professors said, honestly, “Textbooks are a racket.” As much as bookstores, publishing companies, etc. try to placate this perception, we all know it to be somewhat true. I’m not saying that textbook companies are evil, just ultra-capitalistic (and that isn’t immoral, and it’s only unethical when denial of reality becomes dishonesty.) To not be bamboozled or swindled in a capitalist society, we must pay heed to the old Roman warning, caveat emptor, or “buyer beware.” Although, I think we should add ‘seller beware,’ as well.

Book Review: "The Naked Roomate..." by Harlan Cohen

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 21:20:00 +0000

Harlen Cohen might be the best sociologist for the college environment alive today. His advice is timely, well-considered, and based on real life scenarios that happen when you are away at university.

Cohen is rarely heavy-handed and often flexible in considering the actions a student may take in dealing with difficult, awkward situations. He does his best to make sure that all types of students are represented and covers many of the hard to handle situations that this blog deals with: from mental health issues, to diversity issues, and learning disabilities; Cohen has affirmative support for us all.

Pick up your copy of The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College today!!

My Letter to the Editor of the University Star Newspaper at Texas State University About My Candlelight Vigil

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 04:22:00 +0000

In 2006, my uncle hanged himself at the age of 43. He had come out to my family only three years before and was kicked-out of his home with my grandmother and her new husband only two years prior to his death. He was HIV-positive and had symptoms of severe depression. He was also mentally challenged with an IQ just below average. He had sought help from my parents and my uncles, his brothers and sister, who did not know where to turn. They attempted to find him assistance through the Department of Mental Health and Retardation, who said they were unable to help him, as they believed he wasn’t a danger to himself or anyone else. He would be found dead only a year later.

I wish I could say it always gets better, but I cannot. It didn’t get better for my uncle. While I admire Dan Savage and all he is attempting to do with the It Gets Better Project, I must say I believe the message is faulty. We cannot wait for things to get better. We must make them better. We must confront the bullies, no matter their power or station in life, wherever and whenever we find them. We must commit to making this world a safer and better place for all of the human family. We must foster compassion for our fellow man. We cannot and should not turn to a multiple-millennia-old book to seek a passage allowing us to aid and empathize with a living, breathing human being. If we wish to see change, we must be changed.

I planned a vigil on our lovely campus on the night of Oct. 20. One hundred and ten people RSVP-ed and 87 people said they might be there. Others left messages that they could not attend, but would be with us in spirit. It was a wondrous event, even if it was not as large as was planned. We were so close, so connected, that none of us wanted to leave immediately after the vigil. There may have only been 40 or 50 people at our vigil, but we were as one. We stood for love and compassion and everything that is good about humanity. Some from the crowd waiting to audition for the talent show even joined us, unexpectedly.

We received no coverage from any news source on campus — though I alerted the paper, the magazine and the radio outlets. As our second speaker was addressing the crowd, some cowardly bigot shouted muffled obscenities as he hurriedly rushed up the steps, and I was pelted with some unknown object later that same night. It would seem not all bullies are active hatemongers. Perhaps the homophobic are not only cowardly, but also lazy.

Still, I would not have changed a thing. The message of our vigil remains in the hearts and minds of those who participated. It was a night inspired by the message of love and peace and acceptance. We were visible. We were united. We were there as an act of kindness — as the lion said to the mouse who retrieved the thorn from its paw in Aesop’s fable, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Our message for the night, for our campus, and for all that suffer in silence echoed through the quad and continues to echo in our hearts: “Love—and let love!”

—Shaun Ford is an applied sociology junior

Rutgers School Paper Prints Shameful Editorial Blaming the Victim for the Violation of His Human Rights

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Media exploits University tragedy
Editorial
By The Daily Targum

The death of University student Tyler Clementi might have been properly mourned if it were not for the massive rallies and aggressive news coverage that altered the nature of the situation. The truth is that an 18-year-old boy killed himself - he was a student just like the rest of us, someone just trying to receive an education. Yet people's relentless agendas took his death and turned it into a cause based on false pretenses.

A crowd of more than 20 people ended up lying outside the entrance of the Rutgers Student Center on the College Avenue campus the first night of the news breaking. The chants were, "We're here. We're queer. We want safety in our homes." The mistake was that Clementi's death should not have been turned into a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender protest for gay rights and safe spaces at the University. Robert O'Brien, Department of Anthropology assistant instructor, led the rally as he chanted, "Not safe in dorms, not safe at Rutgers." Essentially, an angry mob fending for their rights turned the death of a young boy into a cause for "safe spaces" for gays across the University - all the while, these spaces already existed. We have groups across campus that deal with students' psychological difficulties - 17 Minutes is one that deals with suicides - as well as groups that address their sexual orientation. We have these spaces, and the University community is diverse enough to provide students with whatever it is they need.

The focal point of Clementi's tragic death should have been a boy's inability to deal with the hardships of life. And yet the news and certain organizations picked this up and carried it into the ranks of general causes for major social groups - for their profit. Did Tyler really feel unsafe after all? Do we know the reason behind his suicide? Do we know if he, himself, would take part in the movement behind his death - the push for safe spaces?

It is disappointing that everyone from news to celebrities picked up the story. Actress Brittany Snow and actor Neil Patrick-Harris are just two of the many celebrities belittling Clementi's death - forcing his remembrance into a cause rather than a proper mourning.
We did not know Tyler. It was barely three weeks into his first year at the University, and most of his neighbors in his residence hall barely knew him. Turning his death into a push for gay rights is a fallacy. Homosexuality is not the only reason for which people kill themselves. In this case, it might have pushed Clementi over the edge, but the fact that he was gay should by no means turn his death into a march for safe spaces. These groups want to be heard. They want the attention. They want their agendas to shine in the limelight.

Instead, we should address that the signs of a suicidal 18-year-old kid were unseen and went unnoticed, not "We want safety in our homes." We have the safety, or as much of it as we together as a University community can in today's world. What we need is to notice those of us who need help and help them. Entertainers stay away. O'Brien leave the issue alone. Let us - family, friends and the University together - mourn for Clementi, and just for him, rather than using him as a martyr for a cause that has yet to be proven.

Hey kettle, you’re black!

Seriously? The Rutgers community wants to mourn for a young man that none of you took the time to know from Adam? Not only that, but you also blame the victim who was criminally and inconsiderately filmed against his will and broadcast over the Internet. Shame on you! No wonder Tyler found Rutgers to be such an unwelcoming place with such insensitive people in it.

How, how exactly do you mourn for Tyler? How do you mourn for him when two of your own criminally disregarded both the law and the Tyler’s right to privacy—the right to privacy is included in the Bill of Rights under the liberty clause, as well as the U.N.’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. How is having your human rights violated a “hardship of life?”

Perhaps Rutgers editorial board would do better in a psychology or sociology class than training for some soon-to-be extant career in journalism—was TV and VCR repair class full?—where they would learn that homosexuality is not even one reason why people choose to commit suicide. People commit suicide because they feel isolated, hopeless, and depressed—and it’s no wonder Tyler felt that way on a campus so content to direct all of the blood they’ve spilled quietly down a drain.

Who did you write this drivel for? For all of Tyler’s friends and family (who have reached out to the media and celebrities to make sure that Tyler is remembered and that this tragedy can be prevented in the future?) No, you wrote it for publicity. Why else would you directly address the media and celebrities that are trying to make a difference? You wrote it because you are angry that, in the media spotlight, the nation can see all of your warts.

The suicides of GLBTQ youth are not due to their sexual orientation, they are due to arrogant, blame-the-victim jerks like yourself that see no harm in violating another’s human and legal rights. This is society’s problem, not the GLBTQ youth. You want the gay community to remain silent? Too damn bad! We are going to be more vocal than ever trying to reach out to those that you neglect and only wish to “remember” when it’s too late.

In other words, good luck with your careers at Fox News: where facts don’t matter, science is the enemy, and over-the-top rhetoric is king. I’m sure they will love this pseudo-intellectual mental masturbation in all its smug, tactlessness.

If this is what print journalism has come to, then I say it’s a good thing it’s a dying medium—I’ll gladly pull the plug, myself. It’s no wonder you cowards didn’t have the courage to sign your name to this trash.

One more death to homophobia is one too many.

Concealed Carry on Campus--You Can't Fight Fire With Friendly Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

*It’s 8:00 AM and you are walking to class at UT Austin. Over an outdoor loudspeaker, you hear that there is a shooter carrying a weapon on campus and are advised to leave campus immediately. Instead of heeding this warning, you bring-out your concealed weapon that the state of Texas has allowed you to carry on campus.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spot another man in turning from one street to another; you were unable to see where he drew his weapon from, as your line of sight was blocked by a building. He spots you seconds after you see him and points his gun at you. You don’t have time to think. You fire, hitting him in the head. He is instantly dead.

Then, you hear police sirens behind you. You surrender to campus police. It’s only a few hours after you’re arrested that you learn the person you shot was a 19-year-old biology student who was also carrying a concealed handgun. He drew his weapon for the same reason you did: he, too, was looking for the shooter. Like you, he had had no legitimate training in active-shooter situations. He had no experience with the phenomenon of “friendly fire.” He, like you, had no knowledge of the social psychology of crises. He, like you, panicked and made a bad situation worse. You are now a murderer and will be tried in a court of law.

You learn even later that three more of your fellow students were killed. Two now-deceased students were friends in your Students for Concealed Carry on Campus group who were shot by police looking for the real shooter; their lives could have been saved if only the police had not also given in to panic and were not pressed for time trying to discover the identity and whereabouts of the original shooter. One now-dead student was the actual shooter—he fled the police into a library and committed suicide on the top floor.

*The above story is a work of fiction.

Sadly, it is also based in fact. Today at approximately 8:15 AM, a UT Austin student opened fire with what appeared to be an AK-47 assault riffle. He did not shoot or injure anyone and eyewitnesses report he did not appear to be aiming at living targets.

The student was chased by authorities into the Perry-Castaneda Library and on to the sixth floor, where he fatally shot himself.

Ironically, this incident happened on the same day in which an author, John Lott, author of the book, More Guns, Less Violence, was to speak at the UT Law School, at their Austin campus tonight. As the title of his book suggests, Lott is a supporter of the concealed carry practice on college campuses.

The idea that one is safer with a firearm, whether merely in their possession or carried concealed on their person is a myth. It’s ridiculous! You are more likely to die by gun violence if you own a gun, and authorities who deal with these situations report that the most difficult element in dealing with them is uncovering who the shooter is—after all, they look just like you and me. They have no special uniform, no shady look to them, no identifying marks of the Devil. There is a reason why firefighters don’t carry flamethrowers and canteens filled with gasoline.

Needless to say, Lott’s talk at UT Law has been canceled. The president of UT’s Students for Concealed Carry on Campus stated that he didn’t want to “comment on any political aspect this.” Indeed, Mr. Shi, indeed..

Computer Infomation Safety On Campus

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 22:06:00 +0000

An important bulletin about computer safety has been sent to me by Katrina Bush of MSR Communications. Please take the time to read this timely advice and practice computer information safety.

We should all know by now that pranksters and cyberthugs can exploit weak passwords and phishing scams to gain control of our Facebook, Twitter, and other accounts. But students are especially vulnerable. Many share their computers and laptops with roommates and study group partners they only just met. It’s also common for students to share passwords with friends or simply forget to log out of a public workstation. This invites rabble-rousers to impersonate them, post embarrassing updates and pictures, and instantly ruin their online reputations.

Sometimes ‘status hijacking’ is just a harmless prank among friends. But when you consider who may be reading these posts—teachers, family members, potential employers—it can create real damage. And then there are the criminal imposters who break into accounts to bombard contacts with spam, trick them into giving up their account info, and direct them to malicious web sites. (Recent AVG research shows the top 50 social networking sites include 20,000 malicious pages set up specifically to launch an attack on anyone who visits them!)

So it’s important for students to keep their online accounts under lock and key. Here are some tips from AVG to help them do just that:

* Use a strong and different password for each of your accounts.
* Do not share your password or leave it where it can be found.
* Be wary of any Facebook or Twitter app, site or email that asks you for login info.
* Be sure to log out of your accounts when done.
* Avoid logging in from a friend’s computer. They could have purposefully installed a keylogger or fallen prey to spyware without knowing it.
* If somebody sends you a link, confirm the sender’s intent before clicking as it could have been sent from a hijacked account. Be especially careful if the message that accompanies the link is particularly tempting – i.e., “OMG is that you in this pic?”
* Install an online security solution that includes anti-phishing features.
* Use a spyware scanner to check for keylogging software a ‘friend’ may have installed while using your computer.
* Remember your accounts are never 100% safe. Be careful of what kind of information you store on your account in case of a break-in.

GreenNote.com: Create Your Own Student Loan Program

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 03:53:00 +0000

The economy is hitting everyone hard these days, but none harder than those that already teetered on the edge of the poverty line to begin with--like college students. Some have even speculated that the next economic bubble to burst after the mortgage bubble will be the student loan bubble. Sure, you can work-off some of that debt with programs like Americorps, Teach for America, or the VISTA program, but getting into these programs is becoming more difficult as students are scrambling to find a way to repay educational loan debt.

Never fear, college comrades: your social network can come to your aid with GreenNote.com. GreenNote.com combines social networking, micro-credit lending, and student loans that students to create their own lending program by combining all the donations accepted from their network. Coming soon, claims GreenNote.com, organizations will be able to design their own lending program with non-credit based criteria to create low-cost or no-cost loans!

If you need help raising money for college, call upon the power of your community!

Last Chance to Win $$$

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 03:19:00 +0000

Just wanted to warn you all that the contest to get as many fans for the 30 Year-Old Freshman page on Face Book ends tomorrow at midnight! You can win $25.00 or more and one fan will be randomly selected to win the mulah. Click on our Social Networking tab above for a link to our page on Face Book.

Separated At Birth? No, Wait... These Two Go To The Same Church!

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 01:43:00 +0000

I usually don't do totally-looks-like(s), but I cannot be the only one that thinks that Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of the dangerously insane megalomaniac Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church--people so conservative even Fox News hates them--totally looks like a Wraith (the life-sucking evil aliens from Stargate: Atlantis). This resemblance can't be a coincidence.

Support National Suicide Prevention Week and the Trevor Project

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:50:00 +0000

National Suicide Prevention week starts Sept. 5th and will continue through Sept. 11th. Suicide is a huge problem, perhaps even an epidemic on college campuses. Although their are a multitude of free or low-cost mental health services available to students at colleges and universities throughout the nation, many students don't take advantage of these services. The Suicide Prevention Resource Center Campus Pages reports: "...counseling center directors report that the vast majority of students who die by suicide are not clients of the counseling center."

The Trevor Project is a non-profit organization that aims to help prevent gay and lesbian teens from attempting suicide--gays and lesbians are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.

This year, The Trevor Project has allied with OnchMovement, a jewelry manufacturer, to sell a flip pendant to benefit The Trevor Project. The flip pendants are $10 a piece and all proceeded benefit The Trevor Project. You may also visit any of the links in this post to receive more information on suicide prevention and collect ideas about how you may become involved.

Selleck Waterfall Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:57:00 +0000

I, like all of you, am on the go now that school has started, so I haven't had a ton of time for updates. That being said, I still want to keep you informed of all things awesome. That's why I'm telling you about Selleck Waterfall Sandwich. That's some hot, soggy, sloppy, man-meat, sandwich-y goodness right there!

You're welcome, America.

The Skinwich

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 01:00:00 +0000

I have disturbing news America: Kentucky, the first state to develop bun-less sandwich technology, has now developed sandwich-less sandwich technology with the skinwich. The skinwich is a fried chicken skin sandwich layered with bacon, swiss cheese, and mayo. Again, Kentucky is taking culinary cues from America's fatest celebrities. First, it was the fluffer-nutter from Elvis, now it's the Shelly Winters skinwich.

HELLO Kitty Douche

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 18:07:00 +0000

Daughter: Honorable Momma-san, do ever you receive that not so cute feeling... down there?

Mother: Wise daughter to ask of me this advice. Momma-san feels not happy-fresh, fun, go-go feeling sometime. When this unsmiley thing happen, Momma-san uses Hello Kitty douche!

Hello Kitty douche, for when you get that not-so happy, smiley-feeling, go-go happy fun-time... down there.

Cool Pro-Gay Marriage Shirt from Busted Tees

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:43:00 +0000

Show your support for gay marriage with a cool shirt, while bringing up the nostalgia for the game of Life. And hey, if you're a gay guy, you may just show that cutie that aren't afraid of a commitment.

The Epic Battle (Bieber v. Kirstopik) Continues--Episode II: Revenge of the Bieber

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:27:00 +0000

A few days ago, in a hair time vacuum taking young people far, far back... The young Jedi Kevin Kristopik sent harrassing text messages to the evil sith lord Darth Bieber. Lord Bieber responded by transmitting Kristopik's cell phone number to the Empire's entire population of 13-year-old girls and sexual confused teenage boys. Can the young Kristopik learn to use the force from Jedi Master Leif Garret to defeat the evil of Lord Bieber and the evil Emperor Verizon III. The battle continues...

College Tech: Pick-Of-The-Week--The Skip Class Calculator

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 23:58:00 +0000

The first day of fall classes is beginning soon. The first day of classes for Texas State-San Marcos is August 25th... that's a little more than one week from now!

There are so many questions to ask before the first day of school: will I like my professors?; will my schedule work?; how much time do I have before major tests and papers are due?; most importantly, can I skip a class safely?

Now, you have a way to answer that question and make an educated guess on whether it's okay to blow-off that boring lecture today and head to the beach, the lake, or the mall. It's called the Skip Class Calculator and by answering a few questions, it promises to tell you whether or not skipping that day is safe.

It uses variables like how many days a week the class is held, how many weeks comprise the term, and how much of the test is based on lecture as opposed to materials that you can review at another time. It then makes a guess, based on your answers as to whether or not you'll be okay if you skip that day.

Computer programmers have a saying: "garbage in, garbage out." That applies to any type of calculator, so remember to be as honest and truthful in answering the calculator's questions as possible--look up the info in your syllabus if you need to, don't guess. Also, be aware that the calculator just gives you an educated, statistically accurate guess, it can't be 100% certain anymore than you can, so keep in mind that--no matter what the calculator says--skipping class is your decision and you must deal with the consequences.

Financial Aid At Texas Colleges And Universities May Take A Nasty Hit

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:46:00 +0000

The Texas State Legislature is preparing its bi-annual budget for 2011 through 2012 and there has been talk of asking state colleges and universities to eliminate 10% from their budget. This could amount to the loss of $108 million, according to the appropriation budget filed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. This is of special concern to students receiving financial aid in Texas, as 71% of the board’s budget is composed of financial aid expenditures to economically disadvantaged students.

This budget slashing is in direct opposition to the federal and state push for colleges and universities to dramatically increase student enrollment and graduation rates by 2015. In a speech given at the University of Texas in Austin a few days ago, President Obama echoed what has already been a directive in the state of Texas to increase student enrollment in order to remain competitive, given the staggering amount of degreed workers in other countries—the U.S. has recently fallen out of the top 10 countries with the largest amount of college graduates and the President announced his intent to be in the top 5 again by 2015. A special consideration for both the state and national educational organizations is increasing the number of minority graduates, including enrolling more men of all races and ethnicities—enrollment and graduation for men has been on a steady decline for the past few decades.

Let’s hope that the legislature decides that the budgetary cuts don’t mix with their goals and find somewhere else to cut the fat.