Brian

T.I. has canceled his scheduled September 24th performance at the Bryce Jordan Center. The BJC has removed all information relating to the concert.

Penn State Centre Stage will be presenting performances of the award-winning play, Altar Boyz, on Sept. 16-18 at the Citizens Bank Theater.

The speakers for TEDxPSU were announced today on The Lion 90.7fm at 5pm. On the whole, they are a diverse group of very talented individuals. Biographical information about each of the speakers can be found after the jump.


Additionally, attendee registration for the event has begun. You can register on their website.


Let us know who you are most excited to see.

Clint Gyory, the 2009-2010 Nittany Lion mascot, was charged last Tuesday with offenses that included underage drinking and public drunkenness, according to docket sheets obtained from the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System official website. The charges were connected with incidents that occurred on August 1st, 2010, the day following Gyory's birthday. More details, as well as comments from cheerleading head coach Curtis White and Penn State spokesman Geoff Rushton, after the jump.

A diverse group of PSU students and State College residents sat cross-legged in Hertiage Hall Thursday evening, chanting and singing at "Yoga of Sound Vibrations," a kirtan hosted by the Penn State Vedic Society. Read for more details about the event.

The Goo Goo Dolls are set to play at Eisenhower Auditorium on October 19 at 7:00 pm, according to the band’s website and Facebook page. The Dolls will be supported by The Spill Canvas, an alternative rock band from Sioux Falls. The band has posted a link to Ticketmaster on their website, but tickets are not yet available.

Read on to learn more…

Matisyahu will be performing on the HUB lawn September 1, as the headliner for the Jewish Life Festival. The festival will be hosted by Chabad at Penn State, and will also feature kosher hot dogs, challah making, and other events celebrating Jewish culture. The festival is in its third year. Read on to find out more about the event...

A group of about thirty gathered in Schlow Library yesterday evening for a town hall meeting held by congressional candidate Mike Pipe. The group, made up largely of members of the local community and students, engaged the young candidate on a diverse array of issues, and also listened to Pipe describe the intent of his campaign. The meeting was the 10th in a series of twelve meetings, Pipe said.


Read on to learn about the issues discussed…

Well that's it. The Webster's of 128 S. Allen St. is no more. Soon, the cafe and bookstore will have a new, albeit temporary, home in 121 S. Fraser St. Of course, as owner, Elaine Meder-Wilgus, noted during one of the community meetings designed to save the downtown cafe: "Webster's is not the building...it's the people that fill it." That remains true, but as Elaine and every Webster's patron knows, that does not mean that the upheaval is not a big deal. It matters. It matters because Webster's used to stand in the middle of Allen St. like an immovable rock of local business, the perfect counter-example to the argument that a community-centered establishment cannot stand in this brave new world of globalization. Unfortunately, that sentiment was nothing but a fiction: Webster's fell behind financially, and the landlord of a very valuable property made a financial decision. Business is business; it has to be about dollars and cents. It is pretty easy to understand, but as a local patron, difficult to take in. Read on for the rest of my take...

They headed home, soggy, burnt, aching, and tired. And they all seemed to have smiles on their faces. There was an exodus Sunday and Monday morning as artists, alumni, and students alike made their way back home from the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, which finished up for the 44th time on Sunday afternoon. As always, the five days of Arts Fest included fun for all ages, from the artist's pavilions to the Allen water buckets, to the late-night debauchery of what has become a de facto midsummers reunion for PSU students and alumni. More on this year's Festival after the jump.

On Kids Day, $400 pieces of jewelry are put aside in favor of $4.00 handiwork creations. From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Wednesday afternoon, throngs of young entrepreneurs flocked to Allen St. to sell hand-crafted wares from lines of stalls filled with everything from bead necklaces to wooden toys to bound journals.


Though Arts Fest will cater to older tastes as the week goes on, Wednesday was fun for all ages, and especially to those youngsters proudly offering their own particular brand of art.

With so many dazzling sparks, fireballs, and explosions that it was impossible to focus on just any one. With cracks and booms so deafening that it was impossible to do anything else but just look upwards in awe. That's how 4thFest ended last year, enough to earn the attention of the Travel Channel, who noted that State College produced "one of the best fireworks displays in the world." Of course, the main lure back to PSU during summer is Arts Fest - and not without reason. But, students planning their summer pilgrimage should try their hardest to start their visit on the 4th of July. Or decide to come down twice. Read on to learn more about 4thFest and the organization behind it...

It is a small world, and an even smaller nation that we live in. Everyday, people are moving from old homes to new homes, on from one thing to the next. It happens everywhere, but especially with the mobile population of a town like State College. It is tough to get a handle on just where people are moving to next, or where they may be coming from however. Until now... Left Of Centre recently posted a Forbes graphic detailing just that. Read on to learn more...

According to Thorstein Veblen, the pseudonymous creator of the “anti-authoritarian” watchdog blog, Left of Centre, Penn State has some egg to clear off of its face. Citing Bill Shackner’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, Mr. Veblen believes that Penn State has cheated its way out of full compliance with Pennsylvania’s Right-To-Know Law, legislation which requires institutions of higher learning to release fiscal information.

Update 10:00pm: We have included a response from a Penn State representative.


Read on to learn more about the alleged controversy.

If you are a long-term theater lover or just looking for an escape from the oppressive heat that State College has been experiencing lately, June is shaping up to be a decent month. Pennsylvania Centre Stage will be kicking off its 25th year on June 2nd with “Wait Until Dark.”

The production is entirely and professionally cast from Penn State alumni and current students. Included in this group is the omnipresent Bob Clendenin, known for his roles in “My Name is Earl,” “Cougar Town,” and “Scrubs.”

Read on to find out more about the play and how to get tickets for this season’s shows.

In an area as confined as State College, it is always exciting when new venues come to town. Of course, as critics, it's extremely easy to be skeptical about the success of new eateries. Especially in troubled economic times, restaurants here one day can be gone the next, without as much as a peep from a population that largely does the same. And yet, I think we can all agree that Crisp, the new salad/smoothie joint on the corner of Pugh and College is at any level a step up from its predecessor, a rather seedy-looking Mini Mart. However, this isn't saying much, as Crisp's ancestor can hardly be called worthy competition. So, I trekked down College Ave. during a weekday lunchtime and found out what Crisp had to offer. Usually, when I check out a new eatery I run a few mental tests--beyond just "Does this taste good?" One of these is what I call the 'Ten Dollar Test,' a vital consideration for broke-ass college students. Basically, it asks 'What can I buy for ten dollars?' 'Will this fill me up?' and 'Would I rather have spent the same amount somewhere else?' Though there are definitely exceptions, ten dollars should simply be enough to get by for a decent meal in State College. Find out how Crisp fares in the 10 dollar test after the jump.

On April 22, ten business-minded PSU students will gather at the Penn Stater to compete in The Next CEO simulation, hosted by the Smeal College of Business. Think The Apprentice, minus the cheesy one-liners and the flowing comb-overs (unless one of the competitors wants to take this to the next level.) According to the Smeal website, competing students "will have to think on their feet as they answer questions about how their companies should respond to complex business crises and major world events." I, for one, am expecting the hostile take-overs, shameless backstabbing, lobbying scandals, and extravagant bonus packages that have come to define life at the top of American business. More realistically, those who attend the open event can look forward to a tight competition between some sharp and well-prepared Penn Staters. For more info about The Next CEO, and what the competitors have in store, check out the page on Smeal's website. The Next CEO kicks off at 7:00 PM, April 22, in the President's Lounge of the Penn Stater.

I once met a PSU undergraduate student who confessed to eating ten "meals" a week consisting of fare purchased from Canyon Pizza. I have nothing against Canyon. There is nothing more delicious than a slice purchased while stumbling down Beaver Ave, with a dollar of found quarters and dimes. But, as a regular source of sustenance? No way. I have met underclassmen who eat every single meal at that campus bread-basket, Redifer Commons. I, too, loved the variety and accessibility of Redifer when I used to live on campus. But, come on folks. There's a whole world of food out there! Read all about it after the jump.

Many of you undoubtedly remember This American Life’s feature on Penn State’s status as the nation’s #1 Party School last December. Though many PSU students had mixed feelings about the tone of the piece, most of us will agree that it was a realistic and accurate look at Penn State’s eclectic nightlife.


For those of you who are too visual for the radio, or who just prefer the facts in one place, there is now an infographic complete with all the information from the This American Life episode.


Get the full scoop on the infomage after the jump.

Anyone who has ever tasted a Magnolia Bakery cupcake knows what’s up: cupcakes are the bakery goods of kings and legends. In terms of ‘tastiness density’ (yes, I just made this phrase up), it reigns supreme.


That’s why I was delighted to learn that State College will soon be blessed with not one, but two cupcake shops. Sugar on Top is opening up on Beaver Ave. within the next few weeks and *ndulge is set to open shop on College Ave. in May. Even a novice at economics knows what this means: delectable, savory, free-market competition.

This summer, the Collegian's general manager, Gerry Hamilton, made a power play by firing news advisor John Harvey for insubordination. The move didn't last. Shortly after the Board of Directors reversed Hamilton's decision, not for the huge outcry from Collegian alumni but because he didn't provide evidence of Harvey's insubordination, Hamilton announced that he would be resigning. The Daily Collegian is now looking for a replacement for Hamilton, who held the position for 35 years. If you think you can match that level of experience in managing an esteemed media outlet, check out the Collegian's application for the position.

At this point last week, many of us were recovering from sleep deprived delirium, as THON had just ended. After having a week to cool down from the hype and hysteria of THON weekend, I started to wonder about what was in store for THON in the future. Consider this year's total: $7,838,054.36, roughly a 4.6% increase from last year. Given a recession and a rather botched canning weekend (stupid snow), this was a major achievement and represented a ton of hard work. However, it got me thinking. What will happen when THON reaches a "steady state" for the amount of money it raises every year? I don't think this will happen soon, as there is still plenty of room for THON to grow within PSU. But, what happens when (if?) THON reaches a point of zero growth? Read the full post for my thoughts.

I was intrigued by the signs from across the BJC that spelled out 'PILLAR,' so I decided to go talk with Executive Chair Christie Damato to see what Pillar was all about. Check it out!

While on the floor, I ran into Rachel Tsupros, a dancer for the independent organization A-7. The following is the short conversation we had about A-7, what it means to dance at THON, and quality vintage suits. Read on for the full interview.

I thought I’d take a short walk-a-bout through the craziness of the THON floor to pick out some of the finer details that are difficult to see from up here in the press box. Here’s some of what I saw:

Characters Sighted:

A jester, The Cat in the Hat, The Geico Gecko, Men in Black (AKA THON child Eli Sibler and his father), a clown, and Lady Gaga.

Items found/stumbled upon:

Foam sword, squirt pistol, smiley-face balloon, butterfly head-band, Iron Man bouncy ball.

Read on for some more notable events.

We caught up with ATΩ Secretary CJ Koluch (the American speedo “Single Ladies” guy!) and ZTA President Kim Sargent for a conversation about THON, their families, and ways to get every eye in the BJC on you. Read on for the full interview.

Check out this highly energetic Q and A session with Moraler, Carly Mallenbaum! She talks about her Dancer and what THON means to her.

Here is the first of many interviews that we will be conducting with members of the various committees. Check out this Q and A with OPP committee members Kaitlin Scicchitano and Zach Fleagle. OS: What has your committee done so far this weekend? Zach: We got here at 5:30, and set up the floor. We bring all the physical parts downstairs ... and set it up. Read on to find out more...

It's cold. While great for skiers and snowmen, the weather blows for most of us. It is about this time of year that I start looking at sweet study-abroad locales. Here are a few PSU summer abroad programs that got me thinking about blue, sunny skies. It might seem somewhat like a no-brainer, but Spain is kick-ass place to consider studying. European, warm, ridiculous nightlife, beautiful women (and well-dressed men). Ok, I guess it is not a great place for studying, but let's count that as a plus. Also, as Barcelona is rather far north, so it is an excellent staging ground for a Euro-tour. (If staying in Spain is more your game, check out Madrid or Granada) Moving further east into the Mediterranean, the boot-country Italy is similar to Spain in the good-for-you-bad-for-your-GPA department. Stick to a place like Siena: you'll avoid the touristy mobs and still be able to see major sights on day-trips. Though the Siena program is more suitable for people who are peaking now (read: liberal arts majors), science and engineering majors should not despair. It could be that Singapore is more your game. With courses available in engineering and the sciences, Singapore is a better fit for those with less wiggle room in their schedules. Also, a trip to Asia is way more adventurous than a stint in Europe, though the level of culture shock is surely a great deal higher. That aside, Singapore has tons of English-speakers which makes it a great place both to study and 'not-study' abroad. Just to round things out, I often find that South America gets left out in many study abroad conversations, and I have no clue why. Who wouldn't want to spend a semester in Sao Paulo, for instance? A vibrant city with warm weather and sandy beaches is a rarity, throw in the fact that Brazil is fast-becoming an economic superpower, and it is safe to say that there are many things to see and do in Sao Paulo. Dust off that high school..uh.. Portuguese and get going next spring.

THON weekend is quickly approaching, and as such the final list of 2010 dancers has been compiled. It is pretty interesting to take a look at the entire list. It definitely gives you a little perspective on where all these dancers are coming from.


As one could expect, the list is largely comprised of the Greek community, but the significant presence of independent dancers and independent organizations caught my eye as well. As to not offend the commonwealth campuses, there is quite a sizable non-UP representation as well, though that has been true of past years. Looks like a really good bunch! I’m looking forward to THON.


Check out the list, and give me your impressions.