In the past two years that I have been at Mount Holyoke, I have definitely come to the conclusion that Mount Holyoke women are phenomenal. End of story. No doubt about it. A prime example of this is Gabi Gregg, an ‘08 International Relations and African American Studies grad and one of five finalists in MTV’s TJ (Twitter Jockey) competition.

This summer long competition is in search of one Twitter guru, who in the end will rule the tweeting universe, winning a yearlong contract with MTV in New York City.   From 20 total candidates Gregg has advanced into the final  five staying in the competition thanks to “internal judging” and her TweetLevel, a number which measures a person’s “importance” on Twitter by considering influence, popularity, engagement and trust. (Just FYI, Justin Bieber has the number one Tweetlevel with an overall rating of 95. But was that even in question?)

The competition officially ends August 8th with an intense round of elimination challenges for the prized top spot in a live finale. The best part? For each challenge round you, the viewer, text in to determine who gets the boot and who gets one more chance to be crowned the TJ. The hour long finale is sure to provide heart wrenching tension that is best viewed only on a Sunday night.

Gregg’s media start began with the creation of her own blog- Young, Fat and Fabulous- a plus size fashion blog about the latest trends, shopping and finding the right clothes for your own body shape. Her work, including The Young Fat and Fabulous Blogger Conference,  has caught the attention of both the New York Times and Good Morning America and she has also lent her expertise to high fashion glossies such as French Glamour and Vogue Italia. Currently, with 6,320 followers on her twitter account (gabifresh) Gabi poses as tough competition for the other four competitors.

From poets, to playwrights, to political cabinet members, to potential Twitter Jockeys, Mount Holyoke women seem to do it all and do it all well! Make sure to tune in to MTV, or catch the finale live on MTV.com, and vote on August 8th at 10pm est!

http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/mtv/44702/

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This could potentially be a brilliant source of cash flow for the slightly decrepit music industry. Television and movies do it (E.T. was just a giant commercial for those delicious peanut-buttery treats- Reeses Pieces right?) so what is just another music video with a Les Paul guitar tag, or a Ralph Lauren jacket advertisement?  Keep in mind that these tags do not just appear out of thin air, you have to be interacting with the video at all times in order to be inundated with advertisements of products which, lets face it, are probably too expensive for you to buy anyway.

These interactive Clikthrough videos are only available on their website,clikthrough.com, with a small selection of popular videos such as Lady Gaga, Miley Cryus, The Script and the Jonas Brothers but the company could eventually team with YouTube and other video sites to provide more diverse content. While perusing the site one of the main problems with the interactive videos is that it takes forever and a half to load, and if there is one thing I definitely hate, it is buffering.  I will forgive them for now, as it is a new site and  I cannot even begin to understand how intricate it must be to tag every inch of the music video, but if the buffering problems continue there is no future for the videos and the company.

I ,personally, am torn about this new technology. Music videos are a way for artists to express themselves visually, giving fans a new glimpse at their idols and heroes. Music videos should leave you in awe, questioning what just happened, looking for answers and discussing the content with friends(Gaga anyone?). Music videos are themselves an advertisement for the artists and should not be ruined by a blatant attempt to promote Coke or McDonald’s.

However, I am that fan who wants to know everything about my favorite artist. I want to know what food they like to eat, what they do for fun and where they buy their clothes. The more I know the better. With Clikthrough videos obtaining this knowledge is easy and quick  and with the option of not clicking on a “hot spot” the technology is versatile, appealing to consumers and savers alike.  Perhaps the next time you go to view a video, you will be viewing a Clikthrough video.

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Recently, popeater.com posted about the “Kick Ass” star, Aaron Johnson the 19 year old who is not only getting married  but also  expecting  to welcome a baby into the world this summer, with the 43 year old Sam Taylor-Wood. Pause. WHAT?! With a 24 year gap like that she could easily pass as his mother.  Now it is quiet possible that age can merely be a number, however Johnson  is my age, and that is what I cannot fathom. There have been many a celebrity couple who have considerable age differences, the first one that comes to mind is Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, an extremely attractive couple who according to Kutcher and Moore’s  tweets, appear to be doing well.  The difference with this case however, is the fact that Kutcher was  27 years old when they tied the knot, not 19. His frontal lobe was finished developing; he could make rational decisions, he could even drink legally.

Other famous Hollywood couples with considerably age differences, however not as shocking, include but are not limited to; Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart, Hayden Panettier and Wladimir Klitschko (a professional boxer), Michael Douglass and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

What do you think about age difference in couples? Are things different in Hollywood than in real life? Do you know a couple with an usual age difference? Enlighten us.

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But how to reel in the people who spent their childhood spouting out phrases such as ” Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!”,” To infinity and beyond!” and ” There’s a snake in my boot!”? Campuses across the country have been inundated with fliers “advertising” such things as storage rental spaces and easy money jobs with rip – off tags (you know the type) which directs you to a site promoting the new movie. Even UMass has been plastered with these fliers- my Communications Professor took note and recognized these ads for what they were, thus incorporating them into his lesson plan.

There have also been movie screenings which, according to the New York Times, stop the movie after 65 minutes,  just before the story is resolved, leaving the student viewer with a cliffhanger ending.Disney is hoping that by screening in this fashion the students will start to  buzz and promote “Toy Story 3″ on social media sites getting their friends interested.

Whether this marketing strategy works no one will know until opening weekend, June 18th.  One this is for sure, if it does succeed we will be seeing a lot more cliffhanger screenings in the years to come. I think bombarding the 18-24 age group with nostalgia of yester year, when life was easy, care free- full of bubble gum and po go sticks,  is the best way to earn $100 million at the box office. And that is exactly what this trailer is aiming to do…

To learn more check out ” Disney Uses Cliffhanger to Market ‘Toy Story3‘” in the New York Times.

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The rest of the email is in the same vein- now that we (Wall Street) don’t have jobs, we’re going to take yours. And we’ll make sure that you don’t have a job because we won’t spend our money. And you know what? We’ll be the scapegoat, and the administration can blame us and regulate us, but you know what? We won’t care. I believe that at the end of the email, there is mean to be a flick of the middle finger combined with a stick out of the tongue, but I don’t think that they actually put that in print.

Reading this email, I went through a whole array of emotions. First, I thought it was hilarious. The language, first of all, is definitely reminiscent of the high-class education this person got- after all, most CEOs went to the Ivy League, Amherst, or Williams. I also thought that this person was clearly inebriated, maybe playing a drinking game, and this was his or her stream of consciousness that someone first filmed to be put on YouTube and then wrote down. I then became aghast- this person really thinks this!  Maybe this is a clear indication that I’m not meant for Wall Street, but I can’t picture this every coming out of my mouth. Apparently Wall Street thinks that they rule the world, no questions or regulations needed. But whom did they need when the bottom fell out of ‘their’ market? The government. The same government that they seem to think won’t survive. This is the part of the email where I went all Hulk and got angry, very angry.

I surely hope that this email is in the mind of one person, and not the entire I-Banking industry. Because if it is, there’s going to be a long line at the Principal’s office- seems like most of them never left elementary school.

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According to Director of Human Resources Lauren Turner, Roy withdrew for personal reasons. The search committee for the director of public safety has decided to continue to consider the other candidates. Finalist Deborah Crafts remains in the running, and the committee, after talking with other candidates, will decide whether to invite more candidates to participate in community forum interviews on the three campuses. Roy’s interviews were scheduled for this week.

The search committee encourages feedback from members of the community, who may approach any member of the committee with comments or submit them via web.

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European leaders within the EU are particularly fearful of the consequences of such a collapse, particularly with looming problems in Spain and Portugal, whose national account ledgers display so much red the situation should be called the Red Scare. As debts continue to mount on the Iberian Peninsula, Greek financial woes seem like the latest addition to a brewing perfect storm. The EU seems most concerned about the economic ripple effect that is sure to come, a fear that is not unfounded given the current plummet in value of the euro. As the Greek drama unfolds, political tensions with Europe are highlighted, namely a co-dependence on France and Germany within the euro zone, who are expected to contribute a large portion of the assistance package. Nations like Greece, Spain, and Portugal cut back from their economies in the face of debt, which reduces revenue, leaving them plunging further into the red. At this point, Greece’s debt relative to its GDP is 120%, but it cannot manipulate monetary policy to alleviate some of the decline due to the regulations of the euro zone. Here it seems evident that a major flaw in the EU is revealed as leaders scramble to save their nations from the damaging effects of yet another European financial collapse, only a year and a half after a similar ordeal in Iceland.

A major assumption on the part of many analysts is that the US should get involved, however the EU has specifically asked that the US stand aside to allow European leaders to address the crisis. It seems likely, though, that the US has no choice but to become involved. The Greeks are incredibly vulnerable at this point, forced to accept significant amounts of aide from international organizations in which the US plays a major role. American banks, primarily Goldman Sachs, are also partially to blame for the collapse. Goldman Sachs helped the Greeks legally hide the extent of its debt in order to retain membership in the euro zone while collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in fee as the struggling state sank further towards financial ruin. This relationship was made all the more ironic as senate hearings for Goldman execs continued this week. As the situation in Greek worsens, the US must realize that action is necessary, but only under the leadership of the European Union. In the meantime, don’t expect Goldman Sachs executives to summer in Athens any time soon.

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Many Mount Holyoke traditions have moved recently from the recesses of our communal memory to the forefront of discussion. While Faculty Show brought out only fond sentiments of by-gone eras and the community was appeased with the preservation of class-colored OneCards, the fate of J-Term cannot be said to be as satisfactorily resolved.

In 2009, the administration decided to reduce the number of academic-credit courses that would be offered during January 2010 by making the lectures larger and reducing the need for more paid professors. For 2011, new administration decisions will eliminate all two-credit classes for which faculty must be paid to teach, in an effort to save the college up to $100,000. Also, in a concerted effort with the other five colleges to coordinate the beginning and end of their spring semesters, the end of J-Term and Spring Term will be pushed up a week so that students can start saving money from summer employment sooner.
[media-credit name="Mount Holyoke College Digital Archives" align="alignleft" width="295"][/media-credit]
Student responses to cutbacks for their beloved J-Term have been mixed, but the general consensus seems to be sadness at the thought of losing J-Term, to any extent. However, by rummaging through the college’s archives on special programs, it becomes clear that this is not the first time that the winter term has come under reassessment. In fact, it has been put through similarly rigorous strains in the past, and the same mentality that has helped it to survive in the past is what is giving it a fighting chance now—ingenuity.

Most students are not fully aware of the turbulent forty-year history J-Term has already established at Mount Holyoke. Winter Term, later renamed January Program, was initiated in January of 1972, and participation in two Winter Terms over the course of a student’s four years at the College was initially required for graduation. In 1987, the graduation requirement was dropped and Winter Term was renamed “J Program.” As evidenced by President David Truman’s convocation speech of that year, financial concerns similar to those the administration faces now led to the requirement cut. This exhibits the core value of ingenuity and flexibility that the requirement’s heir, J-Term, still possesses.

If “Winter Term” could have survived such perilous conditions as imminent threat of suspension of all classes mid-January as a result of a shortage of oil supply to heat residence halls in 1974, the community can surely rally again to prove it values the spirit of intellectual curiosity and creativity, not just credit-oriented ends. (In ‘74, contingency plans had to be made by faculty and the Dean of Students to board all students in faculty homes until Spring semester started and the new oil supply could be used.)

Throughout J-Term’s history, course offerings provided “opportunity for academic experimentation and innovation,” and allowed students “to develop individual interests not readily accommodated in traditional academic curriculum,” as summarized by archivist Elaine Trehub in 1991, in a brief overview of J-Term found in the archives. This explanation of the purpose of J-Term is not unfamiliar to students today, though. It should remind those worried students that, just as the spirit in which it was conceived, the program will likely continue on to serve the creativity of the student to “do as she sees fit,” be it in equally engaging non-credit courses, internships or independent studies.

Of course, this idyllically portrays the situation. To address immediate concerns of what to do about the loss of paid faculty: since inception of the program, students have always been asked to propose ideas for teaching their own non-credit courses, and this tradition should not be abandoned now. In fact, just in browsing through old course guides and brochures, student-taught courses gave January the most variety and creativity. Yes, it is frustrating to many to lose the option to pick up extra credits, but the addition of some two-credit courses during regular semesters should alleviate the stress.

Many classes, historically, have also brought in alumnae to assist faculty in discussions and as guest lecturers. This small financial setback could be seen as a way to further this alumnae involvement in undergraduate learning—yet another time-honored Mount Holyoke tradition.

Finally, J-Term on campus is, if nothing else, a time when studies come secondary to relaxation, exploration and appreciation of the beauty of the campus. This social aspect has been well-documented and recognized throughout the life of the program, and without it, a certain eccentric news article from 1975 surely would not have been of enough importance to be archived. Over Winter Term of ‘75, the same year a snow sculpture contest and a staging of the comic opera Princess Ida were held on campus, two women made a remarkable discovery in the free time unique to January. One snowy afternoon, while taking time to explore their residence hall, two women stumbled across the disassembled ceramic cast of a sloth skeleton. The skeleton, purchased by the Biology department nearly a century earlier, was believed to have been lost after Williston Hall burned to the ground in 1917. Without that coincidental revelation, the skeleton would not have been reassembled and still displayed by the Biology department to this day.

Those students concerned that academic credit will not be possible in coming J-Terms should remember that the time has always been specially designed for students to have fun, relax, forge lasting friendships and take life a little less seriously. Most importantly, this community should not doubt the power of its collective creativity and resourcefulness to continue to provide the January experience each student expects. Indeed, they are the most important elements that have kept J-Term alive for thirty-eight years.

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Hey Seniors, put that cap and gown back into your closet and get out your biking shorts. This year May 15 marks the beginning of Pioneer Valley Bike Week, an event organized by MassBike to catch the eye of any cyclist, regardless of skill or age.

Bike Week boasts a variety of events, ranging from safety and maintenance clinics, Nature Bike Tours to film screening of the file Bicycle Dreams, an award-winning documentary about the cross-country Race Across America.

Most notable is the Leeds Ride for Hotel Bridge, where bikers can ride in order to raise money for the preservation of the historic Leeds Bridge, which was built nearly two centuries ago.

MassBike is a local not-for-profit which aims to promote cycling within the community and secure safer and better conditions for cyclists. It was formed in 1977 and has flourished as more and more people take an interest in cycling. Past accomplishments have included the building of bike trails and negotiating with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) for better integration and accessibility in what seems to be the Age of the Motorist.

“The most rewarding thing is working with other people who have a belief that cycling is a useful means of transportation and is helpful to many people.” Said Alice Badecker, an elementary school teacher who has worked towards teaching adults as well as children the benefits of cycling. “Promoting education to the public about cyclists rights and responsibilities can benefit all cyclists, no matter what the ability level of the riders.”

Safety for cyclists has always been a serious issue for MassBike and other cyclist coalitions. According to the New York Times, 90% of bike-car crashes are due to negligent driving by motorists. Recently MassBike has helped update the Bicyclist Safety Bill in order to combat cycling accidents within Massachusetts. Among other restrictions, motorists can now be ticketed and fined for opening a door directly into the path of a cyclist. Cyclists are no longer required to make directional signals when it compromises their ability to operate the breaks or steering and are now longer required to ride single file unless being passed by a vehicle.

Local Bike Week Events

Saturday, May 15
Northampton: Baystate Village Bike Bonanza: 1-4 p.m. at Maines Field, 570 Riverside Drive. Tune-ups, bicycle decorating, Pedal People trailers to try out, safety clinic, games and prizes.

Sunday, May 16
Hadley: Bird and Nature Bike Tour with David King: 9-10 a.m. Meet at the north end of the West Street commons by the dyke.

Monday, May 17
Holyoke: Commuter Breakfast: 7-9 a.m. at Highland Bike and Hardware, 917 Hampden St.

Tuesday, May 18
Amherst: Bicycle Maintenance Clinic: 3:30-5:30 p.m. on the Town Common.
Amherst: Bike Film Fest:
Bike Songs at 5:45 p.m. Bike Poetry Slam at 6:00 p.m., Commuter Award from Energy Taskforce at 6:15 p.m., Return of the Scorcher (film by Ted White) at 6:30 p.m., Lecture on the Critical Mass Movement by Ted White at 6:30 p.m., The Bicyclists (film) at 7:15 p.m. At Jones Library, 43 Amity Street.

Wednesday, May 19
Amherst: Bicycle Rodeo and Learn to Ride: 1:45-4:45 p.m. on the Town Common.
Amherst: Youth Bicycle Safety Videos and Discussion: 4 p.m. at the Bang Center Pole Room, 70 Boltwood Walk. Contact: Ralph Sturgen, (413)427-6527.
Amherst: Adult Bicycle Education: 6 p.m. at the Bang Center Pole Room, 70 Boltwood Walk. Contact: Ralph Sturgen, (413)427-6527.
Northampton Bike Breakfast: 7-10 a.m. on the Courthouse Lawn, 15 Gothic Street. Stop by on your way to work or school and enjoy a meal with your fellow cyclists!

Thursday, May 20
Amherst: Bike Film Fest 2010: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. at Jones Library, 43 Amity Street. Four seperate sessions: 9-11 a.m., 12-2:30 p.m., 3-5:30 p.m. (special invitation to students and teachers, and 6:30-9 p.m..
Amherst: Classic and Modern Bicycle Display: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Jones Library, 43 Amity Street.
Hadley: Commuter Breakfast: 7-10 a.m. at Valley Ski and Bike Werks, 173 Russel Road.
Northampton: Short Film Series: 6:30 p.m. at 60 Masonic Street in the Frances Crowe Room.

Friday, May 21
Amherst: Breakfast and WRSI Radio Show: 7-10:30 a.m. on the Town Common.
Amherst: Bird and Beaver Twilight Ride: 6 p.m. Meet on the North Common. Bring: a bike with headlight & taillight (the Amherst Police will have a few taillights available), insect repellent, a jacket, binoculars & field guide (we can share), notebook and pen, something to drink. Children 16 and under must wear a helmet. Note: there are no restrooms on the trail. Please RSVP to lmg07@yahoo.com.

Saturday, May 22
Northampton: Bike Commuting and Repair Clinic: 11 a.m.-3p.m. at Pulaski Park, 17 New South St.
Northampton: Film Screening of “Bicycle Dreams”: 7 p.m. at the Academy of Music, 274 Main Street. $8.

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While so much of our day is spent sitting, reading, typing away at a computer or staring at a bright screen, chances to learn while doing something other than sit are often forgotten. Some students take solace in working out or playing a sport, a small group of students put their minds at ease while working and crafting pieces of rock into beautiful pieces of art. The lapidary club will close at the end of the term, after almost 50 years. The club has been a student org since the 1960s, when College master carpenter Sid Burelle, who did lapidary as a hobby, started up the club with students.

It is currently lead by Bill Wordsworth, who has been a member of the club for many years. Wordsworth, a retired foreman, is a self-taught lapidary, specializing in silver-smithing. During his tenure as head of the lapidary club, Wordsworth replaced the torches so that students could work with silver, and updated the equipment in use, from older models to diamond wheels, which cut faster and cleaner. While the club gets some funding from SGA, a larger portion of the club’s funds comes from dues. Students pay $25 a semester to use the tools and supplies in the workshop. Sarah Goodby-Botting ’11 has been a member of the lapidary club for the past three years. “I found out about Lapidary Club when I complimented a friend on her ring. It was very pretty, but she told me that it was the first piece that she had ever made! Her response convinced me to try it out.”

Wordsworth was informed by John Laprade of student programs in the beginning of the year that the club was going to be dismantled by spring, but gave the club an extra semester so students could finish off the year. The club workshop is held in the Wilder Hall basement, and the College decided that it needed the space for offices, and because of the equipment that students use, sees it as a liability.

The club advertises at the fall org fair and Wordsworth has held a January term class, which takes up to ten students, and always fills up. Most students who take the J-term class stay on for the rest of the year. Wordsworth teaches students the craft of lapidary as well as silver-smithing. Club projects use and jasper to create jewelry like rings, pins and brooches.

The club meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wordsworth appreciated students’ dedication to the club, who often had other assignments to do after club meetings. But both students and Wordsworth have found it rewarding. “The look of pride and satisfaction on their faces when they’ve taken a dull-looking stone to a polished, finished piece of jewelry in shining silver or brass or copper is priceless,” said Wordsworth.

“I will definitely miss the club,” said Goodby-Botting. “Going to Lapidary Club was a great way for me to take a break from homework and feel productive at the same time. Over the past three years, I have given my jewelry to my mother, my roommate, my closest friend from high school and my mother-in-law-to-be as gifts. Lapidary Club has been one of my favorite parts of my college experience, and certainly my foremost opportunity to express my creativity and explore a non-academic interest. I do think that students still need the club, and I will be very disappointed if the College isn’t able to accommodate its modest needs and make Lapidary available for next semester.”

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