WikiLeaks.

I asked one of my roommates what she thought of the controversial website this morning and she responded, “Wait, what’s WikiLeaks?” The site has become huge in the past few months, if not days. Yet, it has slipped past the radar of many educated college students. Even the majority of those that are aware of its existence seem to get confused when the specifics of the site are discussed. But, seeing the impact this site is having on the world, it is definitely something everyone should know about.

Below is a brief guide to WikiLeaks, jam-packed with helpful links to help you understand the goings on of the Internet’s most controversial site (so be sure to click away). Read More »

After last Tuesday’s midterm election votes were tallied, Republicans gained control of the House. Dems still control the Senate, but the right has certainly swept in and gained an enormous (and not unexpected) amount of clout on Capitol Hill.

What does this mean for the next two years? Will there be massive changes in America or will the country suffer an endless and aggravating partisan tug-o-war over legislation?

Several weeks ago, the top issues going into the election were the economy, the deficit, and health care. Now that the election is over, it’s interesting to revisit these issues and figure out what the atmospheric shift means.

The Economy
On December 31, the tax cuts that were created during the Bush presidency will be reassessed. Obama claims he will be open to conversation with Republicans concerning an extension, but has given no word on a compromise. Considering it would be difficult for many of the current legislators to create a comprehensive bill during the lame duck period, the most plausible solution would be a one-year extension of the Bush-era cuts. This will not really help or hurt the economy, but will lead to further conversation concerning the economic future of America. Read More »

Have you always aspired to be a politician, but didn’t know how to break into the political arena? Want to perfect that resume before you make the big move to Washington, D.C.? Looking to gain the experience needed to be one of our country’s fearless leaders?

Well, these days, getting into politics is easy. Real easy. All you have to do is follow these simple steps, and you’ll be on your way to public office in no time!

-    Get a group of your friends together and start up a massive money-laundering scheme on campus. It’ll look great on your resume, especially if you want to run for office in New Jersey!

-    Head to Argentina on your spring break and find yourself a local to hook up with. Oh, but be sure not to tell your current BF that you’re heading outta town. Mark Sanford did it; it seems voters like a sensitive person who isn’t afraid to show emotion.

-    Resign from your position as secretary of your school’s student government before your term is up in order to pursue a presidential bid. Hey, it’s working for Sarah Palin; the (gotcha) media circus around her is just what every politician wants. If you can get the campus paper on your tail, you’re golden!

-    Got a single room? That’ll come in handy for a career-boosting sex scandal. Set up a tripod or offer your RA money for booty. It worked like a charm for President Bill Clinton, former New York governor Eliot Spitzer, and former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey, so it should be a shoe-in for your future political career. Read More »

How does a plane just disappear?

Some childhood trends do NOT need a movie.

Lady Gaga must be cold…

Whoa there, Halle Barry!

We heart fab and cheap sunglasses.

Wow, our government is really stupid.

Move over Brangelina; there is a new hot couple in town.

Katy Perry needs a new stylist.

Get ready to pee in flight.

And for online news.

This is the coolest office ever!

The government works to save Citigroup, another giant bank.

Aveeno haircare? We want.

Rachel Zoe...eating?!

Try a polyurethane condom!

How to make an appropriate magazine cover.

Not getting enough sleep? Try these tips.

Forever 21 launches a bathing suit line!

I turned on the television this morning and I was flipping through the channels when I found something scathing to watch. A headline-making Chicago scandal. Money. Corruption. Politics.

I thought I was watching Chicago, but instead I was tuned in to MSNBC. It’s a story that journalists are calling “jaw-dropping,” “shocking,” and “appalling.”

Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevic was arrested this morning by federal authorities on charges of corruption. He has allegedly been attempting to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated US Senate seat to the highest bidder. The US Attorney’s office in Illinois released an affadavit this morning claiming that Gov. Blagojevic was overheard on wiretaps attempting to “sell or trade” the former senator’s seat in Congress for “personal” benefits. Both he and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, were indicted this morning and are expected back in federal court later this afternoon.

In addition to allegedly trying to sell Obama’s former Senate seat, Blagojevic is accused of witholding state aid from The Tribune Company (which filed for bankruptcy yesterday), until the Chicago Tribune agreed to fire staff members who had been critical of him in the past. Sha-dy.

Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald announced at a press conference that Gov. Blagojevic’s actions have begotten “a new low” in politics, and “[His] conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave.” Yeowza!

The allegations come on the heels of the aforementioned bankruptcy of one of the premeire media companies in the United States. As an ironic twist of fate, running against the famously corrupt image of Illinois politics was a prominent platform issue of Blagojevic when he was running for governor. If convicted, Blagojevic would be the second Illinois governor in two years (and fourth all-time) to be imprisoned for a crime, after former Governor George Ryan was sent to jail in 2006 for racketeering. In the meantime, several prominent Illinois politicians and authorities are calling for a special election to fill Obama’s Senate seat, so as to minimize the corruption of the position.

Bankruptcy, corruption, press, courts, Chicago, and all that jazz.

The election is less than 4 weeks away, which, obvi, everyone knows since the campaign commercials/ mailings/ phone calls/ SNL skits are EVERYWHERE. All the time. I even hear “I am Barack Obama and I approve this message,” in my freaking SLEEP.

It’s crunch time and Barack Obama and John McCain are popping into new cities every day to tell Americans what they plan to do when they move into the Oval Office.

Which got us thinking.

We know that we could never run for president (there are waaaay too many Facebook albums that could be used as blackmail), but what if we could? So, we asked our writers to weigh in on their Presidential Plans: If they were elected president, what is the first thing they would do? Read More »

Ok, maybe not good, but according to a study by Beckley Foundation’s Global Cannabis Commission (I know! How do I get a job there?!), weed isn’t nearly as dangerous as all those Boones Farms you’ve been chugging.

“Historically there have only been two deaths worldwide attributed to cannabis, whereas alcohol and tobacco together are responsible for an estimated 150,000 deaths per annum in the UK alone.”

In fact, the only thing that makes pot a dangerous drug stems (haha, stems) from the fact that it isn’t legal: the crime that surrounds it, all that crazy sh*t people are lacing it with these days, etc. By making pot legal, people would be able to regulate it and keep it safe.

Not to mention stimulate the economy and create more jobs: people to grow it, people to sell it, people to regulate it, people to supply all the stoned kids with enough Cheez Its and Twinkies to get through the day…

Seriously, marijuana could keep this country from a depression! (And if it doesn’t, it could make the depression more bearable…or hilarious!)

Down with that dangerous alcohol!

Bring on the cannabis!

It’s Wednesday – basically the worst day of the week. You feel like you have done so much already, yet you still have so much of the week left to go. Depressing, eh?And today is even worse! There is literally nothing going on on the internet. I have spent the past 35 minutes looking for fun things to keep me occupied during this awful Stats lecture and all I could find that didn’t involve the bleak economy and the fact that everyone is about to get royally f–ked is this:

The New Penny!

The government has decided to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday by printing new designs on the back of the penny. Maybe this is their way to take the focus off the fact that the only money anyone has right now is pennies? Or maybe they are trying to make the penny more appealing for people to use in drinking games? (Lord knows I’ve lost hundreds of dollars worth of quarters by now…)

I mean, I get it, but it’s the PENNY. The most useless coin ever. Isn’t it bad enough that the poor guy has to be the face of this thing? Now we have to remind everyone?

And, HELLO, it costs more to make a penny than the damn thing is worth!

I just can’t wait for everyone to start collecting these things like they did when the state quarters came out. In 10 years those collections will be worth…$.04!!

If you find anything more interesting for me to be doing with my time right now, let me know via the comments. All this “margin of error” bullsh*t is putting me to sleep.

So who gave Russia permission to be the biggest buzzkill ever?

If you haven’t heard, Russia decided to go wave their giant international schlong around in the Georgian region of South Ossetia last week. And then, since Georgia’s military consists of two tanks and a three-legged dog, they decided to just run all over the damn place – go for the gold, perhaps. Oh, hey, how topical.

Russia, what gives? Were you thinking that everyone was too enthralled with the Olympics to notice? We’re not blind, Russia. We see you over there. Mr. “I’m only the Prime Minister” Putin, wipe that snide smile off your face, you’re not fooling anyone. We are ready for swift, decisive action. It’s not like we’re too busy chumming it up with the women’s volleyball team or anything.

Russia, really, we’re sorry you haven’t had a bona fide invasion in sixty-odd years. We know your country is huge and hard to invade. We know you just want to sit in your snow palaces and chortle heartily as the fascist armies starve to death on the tundra. But could you at least have waited until the world-wide quadrennial moment of community was over? Man, we really had some spirit going on.

Couldn’t the one-sided massacre of civillians in a thinly veiled land grab along with grotesque human rights violations have waited at least until after the BMX competition? Maybe?

Not like anyone’s surprised, of course. Government people have a pretty terrible record of ruining the fun of decent, normal human beings. Let’s have a look back at some of their more belligerent moments: Read More »