Three Thousand Words: A random array of places I've been and people I know.
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Photo: University of Virginia School of Law | Charlottesville, Va.
Monday, February 28
Hulkster in the Hall of Fame
ASB and the DM
I wasn't planning on commenting on the ASB elections, but after reading the comments to an ASB Election article on The DM Online, I feel I should.
* The DM should strongly consider barring anonymous comments on their feedback boards. While the boards are moderated by the editors to prevent abusive language, many absurd and mean-spirited posts by individuals shielded by anonymity still are still approved. While I advocate the spread of opinions and information, and believe a newspaper's website is a new and exciting way to encourage reader responses and insight, I think the DM has greatly missed the mark here. From reading the comment, it looks as if anyone , using e-mail addresses valid or not valid, can post. This just encourages vitriolic remarks from people with bad intentions. I think the DM should tighten up the rules on posting, and treat the boards almost like they would Letters to the Editor. The Jackson Free Press is a good example of a newspaper with a successful web forum where debate can be spirited but people usually remains courteous. * This is less of a criticism of the DM than it is of people who choose the DM message board to make accusations and personal attacks against people. Cal Wells is a great guy, and Rebecca Bertrand is a great girl, and while people may disagree with my assessment of them, they still shouldn't resort to some of the things that have been said on these message board threads. One reason people are hesitant to throw their names out there and get involved is because of the relentless badgering and blistering criticisms they're likely to receive from people -- people who are almost always faceless and nameless. * This problem may be overstated. It is quite possible that most of the spiteful folks are from a small yet vocal cadre of rabble-rousers. Their gripes are likely not representative of the greater community, but sadly, when people read the responses, these comments are what is imprinted into their memories. How Saddam's Regime Taught English
TV's Top 50 Songs
Allen came up with a good list of classic TV Themes this weekend (I'd forgotten how incredible the MacGyver theme song was), and readers responded with some of their favorites. After consulting the discographies of several TV Theme Show CDs on Amazon.com to re-familiarize myself with some of the classic shows and songs of my youth, I have compiled a list. It's not a definitive list, and the methodology was not scientific. I left out daytime programming, cartoons, and recent primetime shows (because their theme songs are awful.) I just picked the songs ones I liked, not necessarily the shows I liked. So enjoy.
1. Dukes of Hazzard 2. Cheers 3. The Fall Guy 4. L.A. Law 5. The A-Team 6. Macgyver 7. Hill Street Blues 8. Growing Pains 9. Perfect Strangers 10. M A S H 11. Dallas 12. Charles in Charge 13. The Beverly Hillbillies 14. The Greatest American Hero 15. Batman 16. Gilligan's Island 17. The Brady Bunch 18. Welcome Back Kotter 19. Twin Peaks 20. Beretta 21. Blossom 22. Mission Impossible 23. Magnum P.I. 24. Doogie Howser M.D. 25. Perry Mason 26. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 27. Miami Vice 28. Murder, She Wrote 29. Family Matters 30. Matlock 31. The Jeffersons 32. Knight Rider 33. Friends 34. Moonlighting 35. The Addams Family 36. Leave It To Beaver 37. Knots Landing 38. Green Acres 39. WKRP in Cincinnati 40. My Two Dads 41. St. Elsewhere 42. Quantum Leap 43. Mr. Belvedere 44. Thirtysomething 45. The Golden Girls 46. Step by Step 47. Beverly Hills 90210 48. Andy Griffith Show 49. Just the Ten of Us 50. Bewitched Thank You, Allen Thigpen
I want to commend Allen Thigpen on the marvelous work he did as SNN's caretaker for past 72 hours. His elegant writing and unique sense of humor helped SNN achieve its highest weekend readership since becoming a blog.
The post about Grant Gannon and President Bush had me laughing hysterically, and has to rank as one of the funniest items ever on the site. Every post was top notch. And despite Allen's comedic genius, I have luckily avoided being relegated to Wally Pipp status in the blogosphere. So now I return, with much to live up to. Allen, thank you again. While most backups would perform like Mike Tomczak in place of Jim McMahon or Coy and Vance Duke in place of the Real Duke Boys, you were like Frank Reich filling in for Jim Kelly in that wild-card game against the Oilers back in the early 90s. Journal tryouts are over. The Honor Code prevents me from commenting about it, and that's probably for the best. It's an experience best forgotten. Signing Off
I'd like to thank Drew for allowing me to babysit his firstborn child over the weekend. I've thoroughly enjoyed hanging out here, providing updates and eating all the food in the SNN refrigerator. I hope I was able to keep those of you who visit the site on the weekends entertained.
If anyone begins to feel a bit of separation anxiety, they can find me over at my livejournal. All are welcomed to visit and post their thoughts. Again, thank you Drew for the opportunity to take the wheel for a weekend. Snoop Snubbed By The Academy It appears our generation's Charlton Heston will have to wait another year. Well respected thespian Calvin Broadus was passed over by the Academy for the best male actor award of 2004. Despite a pair of emotionally powerful performances in Soul Plane and Starsky & Hutch, Broadus could only sit and watch as the Oscar instead went to Jamie Foxx, star of Ray and 1997's epic motion picture Booty Call. Sunday, February 27
Star Trek Takes A Quantum Leap Off The Air
UPN recently announced they will be canceling Star Trek: Enterprise, the latest in a long line of lackluster Star Trek adaptations. This will mark the first time in 20 years a Star Trek series has not occupied a spot on any TV lineup. This also means actor Scott Bakula will be out of a job. You know, the guy from Quantum Leap. I remembered always liking the theme song to this late 80s/early 90s NBC show, so I decided to offer up my list of the top 10 TV theme songs of all time. This is off the top of my head, so feel free to add to or reorder this list:
1.) Cheers 2.) Hill Street Blues 3.) MacGyver 4.) Perry Mason 5.) Magnum P.I. 6.) Law & Order 7.) Welcome Back Kotter 8.) Quantum Leap 9.) Perfect Strangers 10.) The A-Team Honorable Mention: Matlock, Mr. Belvedere, Who's The Boss A Prattmatic Leader Sigma Nu living legend and Ole Miss Law student Ryan Pratt turns 23 today. SNN and your humble guest blogger would like to wish the former Sigma Nu commander and Jackson Prep alumnus a happy birthday. Though he never attended Jackson Academy, I feel sure Headmaster Peter Jernberg would consider him a man of unquestionable "integrity." Saturday, February 26
Clarett Turns To Molasses Nearly a year after falling short in his legal tug-of-war with the NFL, Maurice Clarett crawled his way to a time of 4.72 seconds in the Combine 40. Analysts everywhere are saying this might not only cost Clarett a chance at the first/second round, but possibly a chance at getting drafted altogether. Personally, I think a team would be crazy not to draft him. Especially if they can get him as a sixth or seventh rounder. He's proven in the past (although it was some two years ago) that he can perform at a level higher than most. Plus, he'd be a steal as a late round pick. I'm not very educated in the ways of NFL salaries, but I'm assuming late rounders aren't entitled to (or even assured of) contracts above a particular dollar amount. Why not take a chance on this guy? If he turns out to be the next Lawrence Phillips, you could always just dump him off on the Raiders. Heck, he played in the Big Ten. I'm sure the Bears would love to have him. SNN Video Game Exclusive
Through means I'm not at liberty to discuss, I've obtained early screenshots of what is perhaps this year's most highly anticipated video game release: Madden 2006. It's not due out for another six months, but EAsports has already hammered out a beta version of the game. Here's a sneak peak...
 Look at the detail on those defenders' uniforms. I think I can see the fear in the receiver's face as he awaits the punishment that meets all who dare to go over the middle.  I probably don't have to tell you what this is. Mile High Stadium has never looked so pristine on a brisk October afternoon. Believe it or not, those first two were just from the cinematic intro. The game action is where EA spared no expense...  Here's David Carr in the shotgun. He's sending Andre Johnson in motion. They're playing Tampa Bay, whose donning the orange throwback uniforms. Friday, February 25
Bush To "Grant" Americans A Bonus In a move considered both daring and far-fetched, George W. Bush has given his opponents on Social Security a little more to think about. The Commander-in-Chief has upped the ante on his reform package, offering all Americans under 60 years of age a week-long trial subscription to Grant Gannon's RebelGrove.com. In addition to privatized Social Security, Americans everywhere will reap the benefits of non-stop recruiting and game-day analysis for Ole Miss Rebel athletics. "We're in a dire situation here," said Bush. "Without reform, 40 years from now Social Security will be bankrupt. And so will Grant Gannon." The plan would give all Americans a week of free access to the internet's premier destination for comprehensive Ole Miss sports coverage. After the seven-day period expires, further access can be obtained by paying a "low monthly rate of only $9.95." The result, as estimated by the Federal Government, would be a revenue windfall in upwards of $50 million for the young Rebel Grove operator. Such possibilities came to light during an intense round of negotiations at Camp David, in which Gannon and the Bush team hammered out the details of the latest proposal. "I felt a real connection with the President," said Gannon. "Both George and myself have stood firm in the face of danger. Never once have I flinched when snapping pictures on the baseline at the Tad Pad." Considered by some to be a poor man's Gene Swindoll, Gannon has kept the Rivals-affiliated establishment afloat and its readers abreast of all breaking news, in and around Oxford, Miss. It was this hard work and dedication to one’s job that first caught the President’s eye. "Mr. Gannon is an embodiment of what all Americans are: hard workers who don't mind a government hand-out...or two." However, Bush's sweetening of the deal has done little to change the minds of his critics. Nevada democrat and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid insisted the time has not come for the President to "play games with our country's future." "Do you think Americans are going to want to pay $9.95 a month to read about Tommie Eddie's B.O.?" questioned Reid. "Besides, I think we all know what the loophole in this legislative fantasy is – Will Bardwell's free Rebel Grove accounts." All Systems Go
I've just touched down on the SNN runway, ready to fill the void left by your usual narrator. I'd like to thank Drew for allowing me the opportunity to take the reins of his media empire for one weekend. I'd also like to wish him luck on his UVA Law Journal tryouts. A man who not only knows the Law, but can write it, is destined for success.
-Allen- For Now, It's The Thigpen News Network
Like a doting father leaving his child with another for the first time, I am reluctantly passing my baby onto someone else for the weekend.
But SNN is great hands with Allen Thigpen. I'm sure you will all find yourselves thoroughly entertained by Allen. So I'll return on Monday afternoon, and should have a recap of my hellacious weekend. Later next week, expect a feature on a 2006 ASB Presidential hopeful, a write-up about my upcoming pilgrimage to Mississippi, and yes, the blockbuster announcement. But for now, I must depart. Thigpen, the show is all yours. .... And The Facebook Winner Is .......
This hilarious tribute to the luxurious living quarters of Ole Miss students Mac and Atkins Trout is without question the best facebook.com group in Oxford. Random Photo of the Night Thursday, February 24
It's Bertrand
Rebecca Bertrand - 1370
Cal Wells - 1063 Bertrand becomes the first female ASB President in a decade. Digital Rebel - An Ole Miss Mascot for the Future
ASB Election Debacle 2?
Word out of Oxford is that no ballots in the ASB President run-off have been counted and the Elections Commission is dealing with serious allegations of voter fraud and voucher fraud. Does this sound familiar?
UPDATE #1: The votes are being counted (thanks to JJ in Oxford for this update) UPDATE #2: Looks like Will Bardwell won't have to ride in to save the ASB after all -- at least this year. The vote totals will be announced between 8:15 and 8:30 CST. Snow Day Today, Charlottesville is getting its largest batch of snow this winter. No class closing, but my awesome Criminal Invesigation professor Anne Coughlin bought doughnuts for those of us who braved the storm and came to her class. It's nice to have breakfast for a change. Wednesday, February 23
Student Government Showdown on Thursday Haven't been in much of blogging mood today. Cal Wells and Rebecca Bertrand will square off Thursday for the ASB Presidency in an election observers expect to be extremely close. Who will win? Big News: Snyder Passing The SNN Torch
.... But only for this weekend
 For Immediate Release February 23, 2005 Charlottesville, Va. - Drew Snyder, the mildly disgruntled law student and high-powered blogger for The Snyder News Network, is handing the reins of leadership to another. From this Friday afternoon to Monday morning, Allen Thigpen - a journalism graduate student at Ole Miss, contributing writer for the Commercial Appeal, and Snyder's fraternity brother, high school classmate, and former co-worker at The Madison County Journal, will be guest blogging for The Snyder News Network. "I'm really excited to have Allen on board. He's got a quick wit, a keen understanding of sports and culture, and impeccable integrity," Snyder said. "Back in '97, when my knee had fully recovered and was ready to return the gridiron, I entrusted Allen Thigpen with the clipboard of JA's statistician. He did a remarkable job then, and I know he'll do an excellent job with the blog." Snyder is leaving SNN for the weekend so he could devote his time to U.Va. Law journal tryouts, a rigorous 72-hour exercise that tests students' ability to write, analyze, and bluebook. "I knew there are a few fervent followers that read the site over the weekend, and I wanted them to having something to read. Plus, when I get writer's block and lose motivation after the first half-page of legal analysis, I'll have something to read, too." Thigpen is looking forward to the opportunity to be Snyder's first guest blogger. "I feel like a substitute teacher," Thigpen said. Thigpen has not announced what he'll be writing about, but expect some surprises from this versatile and comical wordsmith and former fantasy football champion. "He'll do an outstanding job," Snyder said. "I just hope people will take me back come Monday." Tuesday, February 22
ASB Election Results
Thanks to a kind friend from The DM for supplying me with this information.
President Cal Wells 982 * Rebecca Bertrand 946 * Dustin Todd 445 Run-Off Election Thursday Judicial Council Chair Kellie Bell 1175 Caroline Dye 1148 Amendment for Electronic Voting Yes 1916 No 151 Amendment to Raise Req. GPA for ASB Officers from 2.0 to 2.75 Yes 1687 No 365 From Farce to Force, A Grass-Roots Campaign Redefines The Campus Election By Drew Snyder Law Weekly Staff Writer Rough Draft of Story Charlottesville, Va. – A UVA student council president’s campaign that began as a farce has become a political force. Powered by diehard supporters, the internet, word of mouth, and $8.75 in total campaign expenditures, Curran Jhanjee’s student council president campaign has redefined the student council election and is poised to redefine the student council itself. Starting today and continuing though March 2, UVA law students can log onto UVAVote.com and select their preferences for executive offices of the Student Council, the campus’s student governance organization. Students have four choices for president: Two-term student council representative Tom Gibson, Vice-President of Administration Greg Jackson, CLAS Representative Jequeatta Upton, and Curran Jhanjee, a building attendant in Newcomb Hall, the student union. A few months ago, the presidential election scuttlebutt was focused on Gibson, Jackson, and current Council President Noah Sullivan, who was pondering a second term. Curran Jhanjee was not even a footnote. “If you had asked me one month ago why I was running, I’d tell you I’m not,” he said Monday Night at the Student Council debate That debate, a raucous event dominated by an enthusiastic and heavily Pro-Curran crowd that wildly applauded after each of their candidate’s concise answers, illustrated the fervent following his candidacy has generated, and demonstrated just how quickly and emphatically the Curran campaign has rewritten the same old student council storyline. The idea to run started innocently enough late last spring when a small party of UVA students gathered at Coupe’s for dinner and drinks. Marveling that Jhanjee seemed to know everyone in the restaurant, the rest of the group joked with him that he should run for President of Student Council. But Curran Jhanjee was not a likely candidate. Many candidates began laying the groundwork for Student Council President the moment they set foot on Grounds, but Jhanjee had no political ambition. He had no council experience. Besides being awarded Newcomb Hall Employee of the Month, he didn’t have any prestigious honors to his name. And, like most students, he wasn’t aware of what the council did. The closest he had come to the student council office was when he worked across the hall in Newcomb. But Curran played along as his friends dreamed up an unlikely future in student government for the affable, but apolitical student. So Greg Scanlon, a Cavalier Daily political cartoonist and himself a maverick student council presidential candidate in 2004, set up a group on TheFacebook.com called ‘Run Curran Run’, dedicated to encouraging students to draft Curran Jhanjee for student council president. “I started the Facebook group to see how it’d go over with the rest of the school,” said Scanlon, who is now serving as his campaign manager. “Sure enough, word spread, and the group grew rapidly. People Curran didn’t even know started questioning him at parties and out at bars.” As momentum built, Scanlon and several other students set up a group blog, runcurranrun.blogspot.com, informing students on news about the council elections and providing accounts of their interactions with the potential candidate. With the election deadline nearing and the numbers of supporters ballooning, a few of Jhanjee’s most zealous followers put together Curranpalooza, a party on 14th street that would benefit the Shelter for Help in Emergency and to would be a last-ditch attempt to implore Curran to run. The event succeeded on both fronts, raising hundred dollars for The Shelter and convincing Curran Jhanjee to seek the presidency. The Curran Campaign had a lot of ground to cover in the weeks leading up to the election, but word has continued to spread. The Run Curran Run blog is drawing over 2,000 a hits a day and disenchantment with the Student Council, a body many students perceive as aloof and self-serving, is working in his favor. “Back in the 70's, they used to mix things up, but nowadays they mostly just placate the administration and dish out money to CIOs. If you could get someone in office that would fire people up – like {former council president and current professor} Larry Sabato did back then - I think it'd be pretty contagious,” Scanlon said. Chris Wilson, a former editor of The Cavalier Daily who joined Run Curran Run after his tenure at the paper ended last month, thinks Curran’s candidacy is about returning to grassroots activism in the Student Council. “Curran is the man who can attract the widest possible spectrum of students and breathe some life back into the student voice here at U.Va." But life after the election for Team Curran is not guaranteed. Gibson is expected pick up a substantial vote of Greeks, and Upton has landed a series of crucial endorsement from groups such as the The Black Student Alliance, The Inter-Fraternity Council, and the Queer Student Union. And history usually shows that the captivating outsider crashes in the end. But with a easy-going personality and a simple message, Curran Jhanjee has avoided the pitfalls of prominence thus far. Notoriety has not changed him. He follows the same daily routine and still wears his gray UVA sweater and his famous Pabst Blue Ribbon cap, the Curran equivalent of a power tie. In Wednesday’s Cavalier Daily, Curran talked about why he was running. “I believe that life is about the experience and that that experience should be fun. Student Council should be fun. Let's have fun.” Win or lose, Curran Jhanjee, UVA’s Everyman, is restoring fun to the Student Council. No.2 - JA Legends Fan Club
No.3 - Chase Kinslow is My Hero A Facebook group dedicated to Ole Miss senior, KA, and Arkansas native Chase Kinslow. No.4: Fratdaddys and Sorostitutes
2,200 Page Visits?
I looked at my Site Meter just a second ago ... it said I had 1,500 unique visitors and 2,200 page visitors yesterday. This is three times more visits than I've ever had before. This is probably a sitemeter mistake, but some big website could have linked me. Does anyone have an idea?
Best Facebook Groups: No. 5 | STEVEN GODFREY IS THE MAN
Monday, February 21
Gordon on Government
ASB President Gordon Fellows may not update his blog very often. But we have to cut the President some slack, because he is preoccupied making some really substantive contributions to Ole Miss as its top student leader.
As a president's year in office comes to a close, many start to coast until April. But Gordon and his administration seem to have picked up more steam, with the implementation of the new Rebel Ride and discussion with the Mississippi Student Body President's council about streamlining operations on the 8 campuses. In a forthright, thoughtful column in Monday's DM, Gordon discusses the perception people have of student government and what students should do if they have gripes about the direction of the organization. The Twenty Best Ole Miss Facebook Groups: 6-10
6. Future Trophy Wives
Group description:She's educated, classy, beautiful and dedicates her days to bettering her community through charity work and philanthropy, she has impeccable manners and etiquette, and uses her status to better those around her and manages to look amazing while doing so. Its Not Easy Being So Fabulous :)!!!! 7. Sigma Nu Alumni Louis Hengen. Andrew Buckley. Ken Ford. The Trouts. Pete Deweese. Ryan Revere. Brent Fletcher. Steven Kilgore. Paul Gould. Peyton Everett. Brennan Cain. And many, many more. The online gathering place for true legends. (Note: There are more Sigma Nu Legends. Many more. They just aren't on TheFacebook.com) 8. MBA Sux A group for jaded MBA students. 9. I Love Napoleon Dynamite Come-backs Paying homage to classic lines from Napoleon Dynamite, such as "your mom goes to college," "follow your heart. that's what i was always" "how much you wanna bet i can this football over them mountains" 10. It’s OK To Think Eli Manning is Cool …. Seriously Group description: Have you ever been star struck because you saw Eli one night at The Library? Do you get annoyed when people in your dorm talk about how much Eli sucks, just because they're jealous of his talent or money or ability to seduce women? Does your heart ache every time an inconsiderate Eagles linebacker sacks poor Eli? If so, join this group and we shall spread his popularity like wildfire. Another Workplace Violence Incident in Mississippi
Less than two years after the tragic shooting at Lockheed-Martin, workplace violence has happened again.
Early Monday morning, a 20-year employee shot and wounded two co-workers at Northrup Grumman in Pascagoula. What triggered this rampage by 41-year-old Alexander Lett is unknown at this time. Chisholm Heads to Iraq
Clinton native Brad Chisholm, a member of the CHS Class of 2001, Buckster's enforcer, and US Marine left for Iraq Sunday morning according to Tangy's blog.
We're pulling for Chisholm, and we're proud of him. I talked to him through email about a week ago and he seemed ready for what was ahead. We'll miss him while he's away, but his seat at Thursday Night Cozumel will be waiting for him upon his return. The Twenty Best Facebook Groups: 11-20
11. People Who Poke Allen Crain
Allen Crain, a senior from Holly Springs and quite possibly the biggest facebook fan there is, is the subject of this group, created by close friend Gordon Fellows. It doesn’t have many members, but it’s still funny. 12. I Went to Public School, *****
This group is the most popular at Ole Miss, with over 1200 members. 13. I Went to Private School, ***** JA, Prep, and the kids from the Memphis schools dominate this list of nearly 800 or so students. 14. Ann Coulter is An A$$ Steven Kilgore was a member of this group, which bashes the tendentious and sassy conservative pundit. This group is for anyone who thinks Ann Coulter is an idiot/liar/hypocrite/nutjob/nazi/possible man. This group is dedicated to discussing why Ann Coulter sucks so much and if anyone ever needed a good slap upside the head with a cinder block, its her!From Group Description 15. I’m Voting for Cal Chris Wilson, the Joe Trippi of ASB politics, is making Cal Wells into a conservative and sane version of Howard Dean. This unofficial Cal Wells for ASB President facebook group has attracted over 400 students, a very impressive feat. Tomorrow, they’ll see if this clicks and mortar campaign strategy translates into electoral victory. 16. Ole Miss Girls are the Hottest in the World, But They’re All *itches
While the creator of this group should be scolded for his silly generalizations, you have to slightly admire him for not fearing the wrath of several thousand girls who have been lumped together under a highly derogatory term. 17. I’m Too Old For This Certainly, a group I’d be a part of it if I was at Ole Miss. For grad students, twixters, and people who should have probably stopped engaging in this type of revelry four years ago. 18. Croft Institutite Rips Me A New One … Over … And Over …… And Over Dedicated to struggling Croft students.
19. Saved by the Bell Including Gordon Fellows in its membership, the Saved by the Bell facebook group pays homage to Mr. Belding, Kasey Kasem, Max, the homeless guy in the mall, Jeff the Jerk, Johnny Dakota, Stacey Corossi, Jessie Spano, Tori, Rod Belding, and all the other legendary characters that comprised this Saturday morning institution. 20. DG Fried Friday This group is for all you who indulge in Delta Gamma Fried Friday for lunch. It's not so much about the food, as it is about fun. Best of The Ole Miss Facebook -- Introduction
“Like many addictions, it begins innocently enough. A tentative experiment here, a repeat visit there. Before too long, only the strong survive.” The New York Times’s Peter Abblebome writes.
The addiction Abblebome is talking about is TheFacebook.com, possibly the biggest phenomenon to hit Ole Miss in decades. More popular than Lacoste is today, Bring Back Colonel Reb stickers were one years ago, and wallabies were 4 years ago. Some in-state rivals and other detractors might say thefacebook.com is the only thing that may define UM students more these days than its student body's inflated sense of self-worth of privilege. So what on earth in TheFacebook.com for those of you out of the know? The website bills itself as online directory geared toward connecting people in varying social networks at colleges and universities. What started 13 months ago as a website with five Harvard students is now the most popular way to either network or waste time for a million college students at around 300 colleges, from Yale to the University of the Pacific, from McGill to the University of Mississippi.
When I arrived at UVA in August, TheFacebook.com was already going strong. I accepted an invitation to join in September from a law student who used TheFacebook.com during his senior year at UNC-Chapel Hill. After perusing TheFacebook.com for a while, I decided this would be a great procrastination tool. And where else could I gawk at college sophomores without being labeled a creep? But much to my chagrin, TheFacebook had not been added at The University of Mississippi. And when I conducted a search for alumni from my high school on TheFacebook.com, I found I was the only one. I hoped it would eventually catch on at Ole Miss and elsewhere. And did it ever. TheFacebook.com arrived at Ole Miss in October or November, receiving a lukewarm reception at the start. Tech-savvy pioneers like Lenwood Brooks, Palmer Houchins, and Sam Wells signed up, and soon, when the masses realizes TheFacebook.com was a socially acceptable activity, throngs of UM students had joined TheFacebook. Instead of reading the great books or joining a campus organization, students could sit in their dorm room or apartment and check the latest beautiful Chi O to add her picture to TheFacebook. The bandwagon began to roll. Freshmen and sohpomore, more curious to make new acquaintances and possibly more dependent on technology since their early years, almost all joined. Juniors jumped in, and a few seniors besides Lenwood signed up. ASB President Gordon Fellows hopped on the bandwagon and soon had 300 friends. In late November, the DM’s Martin Bartlett wrote a story about TheFacebook craze, discussing all the followers the it had won. But Margaret Bardwell, sister of Will, was not one of them.. “If you want to know who sits next to you in biology, why don’t you just ask them?” she said in the paper. “Maybe they should put down their computer and their video games for a little bit and go outside.” But Margaret forgot that it’s cold outside in the winter, even in Mississippi, and she too could not resist The Facebook’s force, joining in January. By 2005, more of my fellow hasbeen graduate students had entered the fray. Steven Kilgore, Russ McNees, Andrew Buckley, and Cassie Norton were in. Even alums – Paul Gould and Louis Hengen – had joined using their alumni accounts. Brent Fletcher, a non-conformist who valiantly resisted the herd mentality, relented, signing off the Ole Miss spirit board long enough to join in the fun. I’d say thousands of students from Ole Miss are on TheFacebook now, and popularity is not faltering. In a few months, the novelty will wear thin, and people will discover other tools of procrastionation. But for now, TheFacebook.com is the best show in Oxford Town. To honor TheFacebook.com, I’ve compiled a list of the 20 Best Facebook Groups from The University of Mississippi. There wasn’t a scientific criteria used to select this list. I just picked what I thought was funny and clever. I’ll start with 11-20 and work my way from No.10 to No.1 throughout the day. Author Hunter S. Thompson commits suicide
Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, who wrote the cult classic "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," fatally shot himself in the head Sunday at his home near Aspen, Colorado.
I always felt Thompson was one of the most overrated journalists in America. But he drew a fan following because of force of personality from his rebel image. Thompson seemed to attract a younger crowd of aspiring writers who enjoyed his tales of drugs, destruction, and liberalism. He was a lot more hip than say, George Will, and a crowd of people gravitated toward that. Our condolences go out to Thompson's family. It's shocking that he would end his own life, but to his credit, he was a performer up to the very end. Sunday, February 20
Paris's Hilton Address Book Hacked
While I will say think computer hackers should be the first people cast into hell on Judgment Day, this creative computer has decided to inconvience Paris Hilton instead of the rest of us.
Some hacker broke into Paris Hilton's sidekick, and has broadcast the e-mail addresses and phone numbers of Paris's friends, including such notable celebrities as Andy Roddick, OJ Lawyer Robert Shapiro, Eminem, Anna Kournikova, Usher, Nicky Hilton, Ashley Olsen, and Lindsey Lohan. Mississippi, Tort Reform, and Book TV
Frank was flipping through the channels this afternoon and stopped on C-Span's Book TV. Todd Bucholz, economist and author of "Bringing the Jobs Home", was discussing tort reform.
Bucholz researched the impact of jackpot justice on state economies and his research revealed that states that tilted toward plaintiff's lawyers and and awarded large verdicts tended to grow 1/3 slower than other states. He used Mississippi as a example. Calling Mississippi a great state that has done as amazing job of producing some of America's best writers and entertainers, he said the state has been stymied by huge plaintiff's awards and this Jackpot Justice mentality. He talked about Governor Haley Barbour's effort to implement tort reform, and seems hopeful Barbour's reforms will produce positive economic results for Mississippi. I hope he's right. Saturday, February 19
NASCAR Feuds With the Daytona 500 on Sunday, and after Thursday's on-track skirmish and off-track squabble between "young guns" Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick, I've decided to talk a little more NASCAR. CNN/SI has come up withTop 10 Feuds in NASCAR History. Some great lines that have come out of these classic feuds. "They finally figured out how to put the hood behind the wheel" -- Darrell Waltrip, referring to Dale Earnhardt in the 1980s "Jimmy Spencer is a decrepit ole has-been" -- Defending Nextel Cup ChampionKurt Busch "I used to think fighting was just part of the post-race show" -- Bobby Isaac "He went to beating on my fist with his nose. That's my story and I'm sticking to it." -- Bobby Allison, on his infamous 1979 brawl with Cale Yarbrough Greg Little Turns 27 "You don't look that old," an employee at the Bossier City Battle Wings headquarters told Greg Little when he came in this morning. 5 Questions with Charlie Ross
Friday, February 18
At Ole Miss, a Quiet Election Season
The University of Mississippi's Associated Student Body, the campus's student government, is holding its spring elections next Tuesday at various poll locations around the university.
Anyone new to Ole Miss, don't worry; election day is easily identifiable. Look for the packs of fresh-faced, smiling sorority girls and insouciant fraternity boys, stationed at various heavily-traveled parts of the campus, standing and holding 8.5" by 11" campign posters and either yelling at passerbys to support their candidate or chatting amiably among themselves. The Daily Mississippian provided a brief round-up during the upcoming campus election, only their second about the election during this campaign season. Over the past 18 months, the campus newspaper has provided increasingly less coverage to student government. Whether this scant coverage is the result of apathetic journalists, apathetic student leaders, or a combination of both is a question I cannot possibly answer, but one that needs a resolution. I only realized this after I began reading UVA's student newspaper, The Cavalier Daily. UVA's student newspaper provides extensive coverage of the Student Council, UVA's student governing group, and has even set up a website in conjunction with the Student Council to record the votes and attendance of members of the group's legislative body. While most students and the student media realize that their campus's student government organization isn't an omnipotent policy-making body, the organization should still receive more than token coverage. People will always complain about the ineffectiveness of student government. That's just the nature of college students, and the nature of Americans toward any form of government, for that matter. But a student government organization certainly won't improve its efficacy if it receives neither positive nor negative attention from The Fourth Estate. The media, especially a daily student newspaper on a mid-sized college campus, has sizable audience and a large soapbox. That soapbox should be used to inform that audience, and at times, to advocate. A newspaper should not cut back on coverage if it is dissatisfied by the accomplishments of an important group. It should take that group to task. Likewise, if the newspaper is content with an organization, it should praise that group for its positive contribution. The student population deserves to know one way or another; they have very few ways to find out otherwise. I won't argue with those of you who will invariably say that they should give no coverage to student government because the organization is a waste of money and manpower. Look, in the grand scheme of life, student government is insignificant. But a college campus is a microcosm for the world, and a student newspaper should cover its students and their institutions as if what transpires there has sway over the fate of humanity. Now that's out of the way, I may return later this weekend with an update on some of the Ole Miss legends that are throwing their face(book) into the thick of the election by endorsing candidates or by joining a candidate's thefacebook.com election group. Will Bardwell 2006. Byram Cup, NASCAR Fantasy Racing NASCAR rolls back into the sports world this sunday, with The Great American Race, The Daytona 500. And while Sal Passalaqua may not like the Confederate Flag, he appreciates the sport of the Confederate flag waving crowd. I read on his blog that there is NASCAR Fantasy League, called The Byram Cup. I did not know NASCAR had join the sports you could have a fantasy league for, but it seems to make sense and would be easier to play than sports played more than once a week, like the NBA and Major League Baseball, as well as easier to play than sports played more than once every two years (NHL). Anyone, best of luck to Sal, Ginn, and the other in the Byram Cup, and my apologies to the team that got stuck with Ken Schrader and Morgan Shepherd. Passalaqua: Get That State Flag Out of My Face
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I am a 23-year-old first-year law student at 
