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Tapas – We think these are an oft-underappreciated food. There is nothing quite like having a varied assortment of delightfully delectable delicacies upon which we can dine. In many ways, going out for tapas is far superior to going out for a standard meal. When going out for dinner, one usually must agonize over a menu replete with excellent choices. When one goes out for tapas, one has to do no such thing-one can simply order an entire smorgasbord of hors d’oeuvres to share among friends. And, as if this were not enough, one can also order pitchers of sangria to go along with dinner, and what’s not to love about that?
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Listserv-Abusing Professors – We have all had at least one of these professors. You know, the kind who does not know how to handle the enormous power and responsibility that comes along with the class listserv. Don’t get us wrong, the class listserv is a fantastic invention-one of the marvels of modern technology, one might say. It is incredibly useful for notifying the class of a cancellation, a change in time and/or space, or a pressing announcement. It is also useful for disseminating materials that must be read for class in an environmentally friendly way-those who want to print it can, but those who prefer reading on their computers can do so without also having a physical copy. The problems arise when professors get all trigger-happy with their listserv, sending out materials and reminders just hours before class begins, notifications of mundane events on campus (or of their recently born child), and even inane comments that really make no sense. But that is not even the worst. The worst is when professors forward emails that are sent out via the departmental listserv, thus subjecting our tired and weary inboxes to at least two copies of those emails. Professors who flood our inboxes with unnecessary emails about which nobody cares, we ask you that you please stop-NOTH already fulfills that role on campus, we don’t need someone else doing it.
<strong>Russia Annexes Crimea</strong> - It has certainly been an interesting week in world geopolitics. An occupied Crimea votes for independence from Ukraine and then votes to join Russia. Putin decides that this is a wonderful opportunity to continue his dreams of rebuilding Russia into the size it was during the "glory days" of the U.S.S.R. and annexes a nominally willing Crimea. Really though, how legitimate can a vote to join Russia be when Russian troops are in your region? We are quite doubtful of the legitimacy of that vote. Meanwhile, the West is dawdling on sanctioning Russia. The real question is not what the West will do about Russia, but rather, what will Russia decide to annex next?
Government (Center) Shutdown – Well, it’s not quite as bad as when the U.S. government decided to shut down this past year, but it is pretty darn close. The Government Center station on the Green Line will be closed for the next two years for remodeling. As regular users of said line of the T, this greatly upset us. What are we going to do when we need our regular dose of 1960s brutalist architecture (and it really is brutal on the eyes) that is the Boston City Hall? Although we certainly like a good remodeling, we would prefer for it to take place at a time in which it would not affect us.
