The Occidental Weekly

Voters often complain about the absent alternative to America's rigid bipartisan political system. Amidst this outcry comes the issue of representation. Most nonpartisan parties cite the under-representation of political interests and concerns in defense of creating alternate parties. Indeed, these alternate parties are under-represented because they barely made so much as a blip in the radar during the latest election. Of all the alternate parties there is one group that is more overlooked than any other. This party is unusual in that it is under-represented, yet also encompass America's largest demographic. This political group is known as none other than the Emocratic Party.

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I am awkward. I accept this as a consistent aspect of my personality. It has followed me these 18 years through highs and lows, loves and losses as a constant facet of my character. You may find me half-heartedly bouncing my head at a local concert, averting your gaze in the hallway, or tripping on the "watch your step" staircase leading up past Sycamore Glen. Suffice it to say, I have mastered the art of self-consciousness.

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Few of you know me, as I'm a returning student, tying up some loose ends after an extended period of absence. I'm also an artist and arts curator. In my former stint at Oxy, I was hired by the ASOC to book bands, musicians, performers and DJs to perform on campus.

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During their coverage of the Presidential election, CNN made headlines of its own by featuring a new technology - holograms. Yes, holograms. What has the news media come to?

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On Monday, it was announced on his official Web site that on Jan. 27, Bruce Springsteen will release a new album, titled Working on a Dream. It's the Boss' second consecutive studio album with the E Street Band, and it's going to be awesome for one reason: It's Springsteen. And Springsteen is perfect.

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Ever walk into the Marketplace on a weekend morning thinking, "Oh dear God I hope I don't see that kid from last night!" Or how about, "I can't believe I sent that text message!" We have become a generation that "hooks up." Urbandictionary.com defines a hook-up as, "when people have sex, most of the time with no strings attached." … Post the First Comment

As we watch the final weeks of the George W. Bush presidency unfold (or unravel), I can't help but wonder what happened to the more caustic and fiery attacks on our head-of-state. A year ago at this time, everyone was involved in the usual scathing discourses on Bush's ineptitude, miscommunications, and general failures as a leader. Now that we are almost in the wake of one of the most turbulent and derided presidencies in American history, I can honestly say that I am relieved to witness an end to the anger. Actually, it ended almost a year ago-Bush has been living in the shadowy recesses of the political stage ever since the primaries began in early 2008. The only question now is how he will make his exit.

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Oh, Gandhi. What a mensch. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." There is such truth, such beauty, such poetry in these words. At least, there was until a bastardized version appeared in your pages only two weeks ago. I am, of course, referring to a recent puzzle in the Calendar Arts section, edited by one J. Eugene Laufer. It appears that, after his last public spanking, Mr. Laufer has switched from crosswords to cryptoquotes in a quixotic effort to salvage his career as puzzlemeister of the Weekly. Well, Mr. Laufer, the change did not go unnoticed and, suffice it to say, I am far from impressed. I did, however, find your first choice of cryptoquote to be painfully apt: I yearn for blindness, as only it could provide the necessary respite from your insufferable contributions to my Wednesday mornings. I am particularly aghast, after your infamous Kofi Annan gaffe, that you would hijack the words of a revered historical figure in a vain attempt to prove your own intelligence. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?

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I occasionally engage in tree-hugging, pot-smoking, Birkenstock-wearing (not as much, I already get confused for a lesbian), middle-class, atheist acts. That is to say in Dean DeChiaro's words (Occidental Weekly 10/22/08), I could be a liberal. But I also agree with the other vocal and pluralistically concerned campus conservatives and the newspaper staff.… Post the First Comment

I am writing in response to articles written by Elizabeth Cutler (Oxy Needs to Open its Mind Politically, 10/22/08) and Dean DeChiaro (Don't be Afraid to Talk to Republicans, 10/22/08). Both these articles, while well articulated, failed to understand the point they both desperately attempted to drive home: diversity in thought and ideology. I argue their failure because neither of the two even mentioned any other political parties besides the two that most Americans find their comfort in, which is, quite frankly, narrow-minded.

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I have noticed a rise in the number of skateboards on campus. Allegedly Oxy has a policy banning skateboards on campus. I propose that the school do away with the pretense of a policy and just let the skateboarders be. After all, boards are a "green" form of transportation.… Post the First Comment