Earlier tonight, the State Theatre hosted the North Mississippi Allstars with special guests City Champs. I was absolutely one of the youngest people there, and a man dressed as a leprechaun sat in front of me. It was an interesting environment to be in.
City Champs put me to sleep for the first three songs (literally). The soul-jazz + the lack of vocals = nap time for Melanie. They did, however, manage to wake me up with a funky-jazz song, where their organ player impressed me greatly. Three people gave them a standing ovation, and I believe they earned it.
The North Mississippi Allstars had vocals, so that was a plus. They were a more blues-infused rock group - different than what I listen to on a daily basis, but their music was pretty soothing (fortunately, they did not put me back to sleep).
Overall? It was the best jazz/blues concert I've ever attended. Did I mention it was the only concert of the sort I've been to?
Penn State graduate Allison Baver just won the Bronze medal in the 3000m Short Track Relay in Vancouver. The medal was awarded after a controversial disqualification of the winning Korean team. The Americans were in a distant fourth, but after it was determined the Koreans made illegal contact with the Chinese team, the Americans were bumped up to a third place finish.
Congrats Allison! Maybe you'll be Grand Marshall of next year's Homecoming celebration?
At least that's the message I got from Dean Brady's recent blog post. In a similar move to Dean Wormley, Dean Christian Brady of the Schreyer Honors College is urging students to be responsible this weekend. In a post on the SHC website, while not explicitly asking students not to participate, he says:
I do not want to be infantilizing by stating the obvious: you are all adults (even if many of you are not yet of the legal drinking age) and you are free to make your own decisions regarding how you spend your weekends. It is certainly my hope that whatever your activities you remain safe and would bring no disrepute to yourself or to our institution.
As UPUA quoted in their advertisement in the Collegian today, "may no act of our's bring shame." I think this is a good thing to keep in mind this weekend.
It keeps happening. Just when you think the government's $700 billion stimulus package can't have any more delicious benefits left to give us, it surprises us with more chocolatey goodness! It's the gift that keeps on giving! It was announced a few days ago that KINBER (the Keystone Initiative for Network-Based Education and Research. Wow) has been awarded $99 million from the American Recovery and Revitalization Act to create a statewide, super-fantastic broadband network.
Read on to learn how the Stimulus package is being used...
For those of you students looking to get your hands on some federal dollars (which should really be everyone), you have less than a week about a month and a half to get your FAFSA in!
And word is that some of the agony of filling out these forms will be removed by so-called "skip logic," which should keep you from writing the same old personal information in year after year. But, according to the average filler-out-er, it'll still have the potential to be a less than pleasant process.
"It's a little easier this year, but it's still daunting," says Fuentes-Michel, who recently helped her 17-year-old daughter fill out the form.
Ah, reform.
Regardless, money is money. And for your best shot at it, get your FAFSA in by March 2 April 15. And by that I mean hit up the 'rents by aforementioned date.
(Personal note: Thanks mommy!)
It's official - hope you've been working on your blowouts and spray tans.
MTV's Jersey Shore's Pauly D will be spinning at a Penn State Altoona event on February 27. From 8:00 to 11:00 on Saturday night, get your GTL on with everybody's favorite juice-head. Tickets will be sold for $20 on Thursday afternoon from 2:00 to 5:00 at the HUB. Leftover tickets can also be purchased at the door.
Will you make the trek out to Altoona now that State Patty's could be a bust?