As you pass through the western doors into Blum Union, these days you might be stunned by the quiet stillness and the vast open spaces that now compro­mise the student union.

It is eerie. A hall that was once alive with motion and sound has now become barren, and students wonder if they shouldn’t rename Blum Union, the Great Western Desert. The recent relocation of the furniture in Blum Union has caused students across the campus to ask serious questions about the intent of the university.

People might wonder if there is some sinister intent behind those in power deploying such strange means of Feng-shui, or if the students are being pun­hed for some undisclosed offense committed to the student union itself. There are many questions that should be asked.

At the surface of the problem, the answer is quite simple and relatively insignificant. They cleared out the furniture in Blum because it was worn-out and needed to be replaced. The campus will soon be equipped with high- top tables and bar stool type chairs, much like the entrance of Eder Hall. There is no reason in that explanation for any students to be alarmed, if that is indeed the truth. (Full story)

The entire process of education that we use in America is flawed and in many ways. One of the strongest forces that ruin the minds of potential learners is burn-out. It is a state of mind where structure and discipline wear on the soul of a young mind and suddenly they stop caring if they advance their academic careers or not. A huge contributor to this process is the pace at which we rush towards the professional pursuits that captain our vessels of destiny. Straight out of 12 years of education, during a time when our vital young bodies are thriving with hormones and energy, it is commonly expected that kids rush of for four to eight more years of structured education. It’s nuts.

Here is an idea; how about after high school, people take a decade or so to actually live life while they can. There is plenty of time for more school and professional playtime later. As it is today, one is supposed to wait until the adult diaper years to spend a year in Tibet, or hike the Appalachian trail. In our senior years of life our minds end up as a loose leaf memory storage devices with little stimu­lation. Why not spend those times academically? The better we get at medicine the higher the average age of death rises. In America we can expect to live an average of 80 plus years, yet retirement happens for most between the ages of 60 and 70. So you get a decade at the end of things to stockcar race while using a colostomy bag. What Joy. (Full story)

Bravo to the Western Activities Council. In light of recent criticism about the delay of the announcement, WAC responds by unveiling a major affair that students should be impressed with. Yung Joc and Rick Ross will be coming to St. Joseph, all due to the efforts of WAC. They have enticed two big names of the hip-hop music world to cross our corner of nowhere and put on a double feature. This is a feat that Missouri Western State University should look upon WAC and say job well done.
Rick Ross weighs in at 300 lbs and stands at 6’2’’, which might be why the New York Times described him as a “hip-hop heavyweight.” Just last week he topped billboard charts with his new single “Trilla” and appeared on such hit shows as “Jimmy Kimmel Live”.

(Full story)

 Readers of Dan’s Opinion Page, I have an announcement to make: I have fallen in love. I didn’t mean to, certainly didn’t want to, but it’s true. I left the country and I fell hard and fast in love with the United States. No one is more shocked than I am, believe me. I’ve traveled abroad before, but mostly to developing countries full of poor, dirty people in bright colored clothing. People who were genuinely happy to see you, even if it was just because they hoped you would spend money at their shop. It was in places like those that I wanted to set up camp forever; but Great Britain, (or, rather, Pretty Good Britain) was a totally new experience for me. (Full story)

(editor’s note: WAC has now annouced the entertainers Wedensday. This peice was done before the announcement)

Western’s Activities Council, or WAC as they might be better known to the student body of Missouri Western State University has yet to officially announce who will be playing for the University’s spring concert. This can be looked at from many different angles. Certainly it is now spring and students in the past knew by this time who was going to be entertaining them for the spring concert. They may even have attended spring concerts that took place by this time late in the year.  The fact that there is only six weeks left in the semester and there has yet to even be an announcement could encourage one to wonder just exactly what is going on?

What’s the hold up? (Full story)

I don’t know if you had heard, but now, in the eyes of the Catholic Church, there are several new ways for one to get on the naughty list. In addition to the seven deadly ones best described by Dante in The Inferno and generally held as common knowledge by millions of people, we now have even more fun for a much more modern world. Just last week, Lust, Gluttony, Avarice (Greed), Sloth, Wrath (Anger), Envy, and Pride, opened up their family to seven more sins by order of the Vatican. (Full story)

Missouri Western Junior Jennifer Myers, who is a nursing major, did something historic, when she bowled in her Monday night mixed league in Atchison, Kan., she bowled a perfect game.

There has been many perfect games bowled in bowling, but the feat had never been achieved by a woman in the history of the town of Atchison. Myers fought through the nervousness when she went up there in the last frame to achieve this score. (Full story)