Austin Davis came up with a great title for his debut novel: “Shoveling Smoke.” And the basics of the story sound promising. Narrator Clay Parker, a burnt-out tax lawyer, flees Houston for a small town in East Texas hoping for peace, simplicity and an honest living.
Destinations
Monday Planetarium USM’s Southworth Planetarium is holding a six week course in ancient astronomy starting tonight at 7 p.m. The planetarium is located in the Science Building on the Portland campus. Call 780-4249 for more information. Wednesday Movie USM’s Environmental Perspectives in Cinema series presents “All Quiet On The Western Front,” an anti-war movie that won the 1930 Academy Award for best picture.
Plant-derived diesel mix could power USM bus fleet
Senior Environment and Policy major Sarah Ferriter wants to make the air cleaner around campus before she graduates next December. She is asking USM students to approve an additional fee of $1.00 per student to establish the USM Sustainability Fund. The fund will primarily pay for the extra costs of running USM busses on a fuel made from a mix of standard diesel fuel and a renewable, plant-derived biodiesel fuel called B20.
Lady Huskies to confront #1 ranked Bowdoin
USM dominated Salem State on Saturday, taking an 80-57 victory and moving on to the third round of the NCAA tournament.
The Huskies, who have won a school record 26 straight games and stand at 29-1, will face in-state rival Bowdoin on Friday in the third round of the NCAA tournament.
Baseball
USM baseball season on the horizon
The USM baseball team is busy preparing for the 2004 season. The Maine weather has forced the Huskies to practice indoors so far this season, but the team is hoping to get outdoors for a few practices before heading to Clearwater, Florida on Mar. 18 for their opening game against Trinity College.
Cerberus Shoal blaze a strange new path
I’m going to come right out and say it: “The Life and Times of the Magic Carpathians and Cerberus Shoal” is a very strange album. There were signs of its surrealism from the start, like the name that was unpronounceable, the meager four tracks, and the introduction that gave greetings to men, women, and all the “sticky threats between.
Senate support soft on Activity fee
The student senators’ contribution to the biggest initiative supposedly headed by the Senate this year has been thoroughly insufficient.
Student organizations triple fundraising profits
The Board of Student Organizations (BSO) has raised $15,173.57 this year, which is three times the amount that is usually raised. According to a letter written to the BSO by the Student Senate Chair, Jeremy Collette, during the academic year 2000-2001, the BSO raised $5,521.
Health Beat
The popular perception is that most college students drink too much and use drugs. This image is perpetuated by the media, which often overestimates the number of college students who abuse substances. The reality is that the extent of drinking and drug use on campus varies widely, and many college students do not abuse alcohol or other drugs.
Kenny Chesney’s latest borrows from Journey
I don’t have RCA’s market research handy. But offhand, I’d say they’re hell-bent on targeting Kenny Chesney’s new album “When the Sun Goes Down” toward the young female demographic.
Running naked through the woods
I have had a special opportunity to see deer move. Capturing their movement in words is impossible. The change from peaceful grazer, carefully clipping and chewing the outdoors, to combustive machine, bursting with power, is too perfect. Words miss the point….
Jewish film festival coming for seventh year in Portland
The Maine Jewish Film Festival (MJFF) is set to kick off its opening night on Mar. 13 in various theaters and venues in the city of Portland. The festival, now in its 7th year of production, showcases films created by Jewish and non-Jewish filmmakers from all over the world.
Athletics Schedule
At press time the Women’s basketball team was still alive in the NCAA tournament. Otherwise the winter sports season has ended.
The spring season gets underway with the following games.
Thursday 3/18
Softball vs. Framingham State, @ Fort Myers, FL, 11:00 a.
Staffer rants about the U.S. economy – again
“Our capitalistic system, which cherishes greed as its primary impetus, never allowed the fruits of … [technological] advances to stray far from the owners of the technology.”
Crime on campus
Green “Resident Parking” signs were stolen from Gorham’s G-12 and G-13 parking lots…
Scoreboard
Women’s Hockey
3/28 vs. New England College, ECAC East playoffs, Loss 3-2
Women’s Basketball
2/28 vs. Eastern Connecticut, LEC Championship, Win 81-55
Huskies take 8th consecutive league crown and earn 18th NCAA bid
3/1 Coach Fifield is named LEC coach of the year, in addition three Huskies earn first team all-conference honors: Sophomores Tiffany Jones, Skowhegan, ME; Megan Myles, Turner, ME/Edward Little HS; and senior Jen Webster, Braintree, MA.
Letters to the Editor
Smoking lounge… how about a ban instead?
Jesus is Divine
Double check your stats
To anyone from 18 to 26 – Military draft alert!
Briefly…
Gorham campus to host small business exposition…
Progressive Israeli activist keynote speaker for woman’s history month…
Friday conference latest event in sustainability convocation…
Sports for the Layperson
What is the Pentathalon?
The Wedding Singer
Vietnam is a very different country compared to the rest of the SE Asia. It’s very busy, very chaotic, and very populated. I had just spent a month in Laos with my mother and it was such a culture shock to enter Vietnam. From the moment I crossed the border there was an immense difference.
Sports Trivia
Which USM women’s track athlete was recently LEC athlete of the week?
Parking Boot on the Democratic Party
Now that John Edwards has dropped out of the race, it is inevitable that John Kerry will win the party nomination. While Kerry is not the only candidate left running in the election, Kucinich and Sharpton are both lost causes. By carrying on in this election they are doing lasting harm to the Democratic Party and its chances of dethroning Bush in November.
Question of the week
Name: Sean Smart
Year: Freshman
Major: Nursing
Answer: I think it would be cool. As long as it doesn’t smell like French-fries.
Name: Mark York
Year: Junior
Major: Health Fitness
Answer: Sounds good if it’s better for the planet.
Name: Evan Cassidy
Year: Junior
Major: Criminology
Answer: I support that, definitely.