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News

National briefs

December 12

Southwest airlines jet skids off runway A Southwest Airlines jet landing at Chicago's Midway International Airport skidded off a runway and slammed into vehicles on a nearby street, killing a 6-year-old boy and injuring 10 others Thursday night. Runway conditions were reported to be "fair to poor" by a pilot who landed just minutes ahead of the jet, according to www.

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Sports

Women's hoops endures Quakers in overtime

By Jesse Epstein | December 12

There are certain games where a coach learns about its team, for better or worse. Saturday, AU women's basketball coach Melissa McFerrin learned a lot about her young squad during its resilient 70-68 overtime win over Pennsylvania. The Eagles blew an 11-point halftime lead and Joey Rhoads hit a 3-pointer for the Quakers to send the game into overtime.

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News

Classic musical triumphs in the nation's capital

By Christopher Patriquin | December 12

"Les Mis?rables," the critically acclaimed musical that has entertained millions for over 20 years, has come to the District's National Theatre just in time for the holiday season. Featuring a strong cast and orchestra, as well as some of the best sets in a musical, the tour puts together a performance that is comparable to, if not better than, the Broadway production.

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News

Baby panda introduced to the public

By Brian Kalish | December 12

For the first time since his birth five months ago at the National Zoo, baby panda Tai Shan made his public debut Thursday. Timed tickets were required for entry into the Fujifilm Panda House where Tai Shan with his mother Mei Xiang and father. According to Mark Olear, director of Friends of the National Zoo, 10,000 tickets were distributed for special preview days Nov.

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News

Hollywood focuses lens on Sept. 11

By Robyn Abzug | December 12

As original as Hollywood films can get, there are always major real-life events that catch Tinseltown by its throat and will not let go. Next year, Americans will be treated to three separate feature films and one made-for-TV movie about the terrorist attacks on Sept.

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News

Tech bits

December 12

ESRB gives 'F' to NIMF The National Institute on Media and the Family (NIMF) two weeks ago gave the video game industry a "D-plus" for increased sexuality and violence and said that the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) was "beyond repair." Last week the ESRB spoke back, stamping a large red "F" on the NIMF.

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News

Public Safety gets serious about parking tickets

By Kendra Garstka | December 12

Next year, American University's parking policy will use an independent collection company that will collect fines from parking tickets for students with outstanding accounts, but all other parking policies will remain the same. "The days of people thinking tickets mean nothing is over," said Josh Wilson, Transportation Operations Coordinator.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: Southern U. registrar takes cash for grades

December 12

Southern University in Baton Rouge, La, a historically black college, fired its registrar, Cleo Carroll, in 2003 after learning he had falsified the grades of 10 students. Diplomas were revoked and Carroll is now facing federal charges. After Carroll's firing an investigation was launched, and he was found to have made $9,100 from 1991-2003 in bribes for grade changes.

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News

Students put off academic work, study says

By Rebecca Kern | December 12

According to the results of a recent study, 70 percent of college students identify themselves as "academic procrastinators" who typically delay starting or finishing their assignments. Joseph R. Ferrari, a psychology professor at DePaul University in Chicago, conducted psychological research to define one who procrastinates frequently as a "chronic procrastinator.

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News

Going home, leaving home

By Jen Turner | December 12

I came home on Nov. 30 to find a large, flat package on my bed. My dear host mother had purchased me an advent calendar, one of those darling ones that had a piece of chocolate behind every little door. The kind that my mother once refused to get back when we were a) younger and b) religious (two instances that I only have a vague memory of).

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News

Santa's sleigh brings good games and bad

December 12

"Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance" For GameCube Nintendo Rated "T" for Teen $49.99 A- American gamers can stop being jealous of the Japanese. Nintendo's tactical role-playing series "Fire Emblem" is finally starting to trickle into the West. "Path of Radiance" is the first game in the franchise to hit GameCube in the States, and it's an excellent debut for them.

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Opinion

Letters to the editor

December 12

Dear Editor, I am writing with concerns to Will Haun's article 'Iraq: right war, right time.'ÿ Per usual, in reading Mr. Haun's columns, I find myself in utter disappointment at the lack of informed analysis and the distortion of historical evidence.ÿ In approaching the article critically, I feel it best to target one of last portions, denoting the ongoing war as "the fastest and most successful war in American History.

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News

Clooney and Gaghan explore 'Syriana'

December 8

"Syriana" director and screenwriter Stephan Gaghan says he felt the tragedy of 9/11 deeply. Fighting fear, he traveled the next month. He has followed America's reaction along the way. "It felt like this car America was accelerating, like someone hit the gas and shifted into low gear," he says.

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News

National Brief: Chinese practice English over Internet phone service

By Ryan Grannan-Doll | December 8

Next time you pick up the phone and the caller does not speak English, try to discern the language they are speaking - it may be Chinese. More than 45,000 Chinese citizens per day are signing up for Skype, an Internet-based telephone service. They then make cold calls to the United States to practice their English, according to this week's issue of Time Magazine.

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Opinion

Flying Spaghetti Monster mocks Christianity

By Nathan Hunerwadel | December 8

Recently during a quiet dinner in TDR my train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a wonderfully tolerant American University student who decided that it would be clever to place flyers touting "Flying Spaghetti Monsterism" (FSM) on the tables around the cafeteria.

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News

Scarcity increases demand

By Blair Bryant Nichols | December 8

Why is that when something is hard to find, or unavailable, it is unquestionably in higher demand? When a book goes out of print, it instantly becomes more valuable. When a famous artist dies, the prices of all his or her pieces skyrocket. When an athlete retires, his or her memorabilia is worth exponentially more than it was when he or she was playing.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: A user-friendly Metro

December 8

The Metro, which is the the sole source of transportation for many AU students, is scheduled to get a makeover. This one will not be as much cosmetic, but actually to make the 'Tro "tourist proof." Some of the plans currently under consideration are changing the "Doors closing' voice from that of a female to a male.

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