George Orwell once wrote in his essay "Why I Write" that many people write for "sheer egoism." I think his excerpt on this merits further quoting ...
"Desire to seem clever, to be talked about, to be remembered after death, to get your own back on the grown-ups who snubbed you in childhood, etc., etc.," he wrote. "It is humbug to pretend this is not a motive, and a strong one. Writers share this characteristic with scientists, artists, politicians, lawyers, soldiers, successful businessmen - in short, with the whole top crust of humanity."
It is humbug to pretend otherwise. That description pretty accurately represents all of AU, no? Let's hope we have the talent to sustain it. Apologies go out to those AU students who don't believe in a "top crust."
Anyway, The Huffington Post's college aggregation Web site debuted this Monday, giving narcissistic college journalists another chance to see their byline appear somewhere else. For years UWIRE took care of that, collecting all the top-notch stuff college journalists put out. Then, something went wrong and UWIRE disappeared, leaving aspiring Bob Woodwards to Google their names in vain. Thank god that is over! The Eagle is in the process of signing up for the service, and with any luck at all, we will be up there soon.
Erik Wemple, editor of the Washington City Paper, called it quits after working with there, on and off, since 1994. Wemple — who oversaw the paper's transition from a weekly publication focused almost exclusively on print into a Web and local news juggernaut — is leaving to work for the as-yet-to-be-named local news Web site backed by Politico's parent company. The local site already poached former Washington Post Web editor Jim Brady.
Brady has been working on developing the sight for months now, but little is known about what it will look like, what it will be called and what exactly it will cover.
In annoying news, some overly serious students at James Madison University are causing a ruckus over a scheduled appearance of Nicole Polizzi also lovingly known as Snooki, Snookums or Snickers from the hit MTV show "Jersey Shore." Remember, "pickles is her thing?" Apparently, Snickers isn't classy enough for some humorless JMU students. They claim her $9,000 price tag is too much to bare. Ridiculous — at $9,000, Snooki is a bargain.
Joshua Kelaher, a JMU student, wrote an op-ed in the school's newspaper, The Breeze.
"She has no artistic ability, no inspiring qualities or initiatives (that have yet been seen), and seems devoid of any trace of what could be considered moral fiber," Keleher wrote. "[In bringing Snooki here to JMU], we would undermine JMU's mission of preparing individuals to be enlightened, productive and live meaningful lives."
I ask you, would you rather have one Founders' Day Ball or three separate appearances by Snooki at AU? What about having the Ball in Bender (on the cheap) and ALSO having Snooki? Just food for thought for those charged with planning the Ball.
—CHARLIE SZOLD
