Ian Littman – Page 4 – The Oredigger

M.I.A.’s “Born Free” makes bold statement

Last Monday, musician M.I.A. released a 9-minute music video for her song “Born Free”. Shortly after, it was pulled off of Youtube due to its graphic violence and nudity. The video depicts the intensity of political violence and the horrors of genocide. Since Monday, there has been much controversy and debate on the content of this video. There is more that meets the eye, though, and the entirety of “Born Free” must be taken into account when forming an opinion on the video.

Though they make us uneasy, explicit representations of such real things are good for a sometimes necessary eye-opening. So, despite its graphic content, I support the creation of this video.

Baseball ends on a high note

{jcomments on}The Orediggers won their 2nd consecutive series Saturday at Jim Darden Field taking two games from Colorado State–Pueblo. The Diggers got hot at the right time by winning 5 of their last 7 games, but unfortunately it was already too late as they missed the RMAC playoffs for the second consecutive year. It was the second straight year in which the Diggers won only 7 conference games.

If Mines could have avoided a mid season 12 game losing streak or proved better on the road, where they went 1-13, they would have had a legitimate shot at the playoffs and could have made some noise with the way there were playing lately. During Mines’ last two series they outscored their opponents 74 to 38 and found stability in one of their season-long weaknesses when Marshall Schuler was moved to the bullpen.

LAIS prof sweeps awards

Professor Toni Lefton of the LAIS Department has been awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award. Every year graduating seniors choose a professor from each department to receive this honor. This year, Professor Lefton was chosen by the undergraduate and the graduate seniors. “I can’t think of a greater honor,” Professor Lefton reflected upon her double win. “To have students remember those moments we shared in class…this is why I teach.”

Tech Break: Early 2010 MacBook Pro 13″

By all reports, Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro is its hottest-selling computer these days, and for good reason. The price isn’t stratospheric, its features are well-balanced, its style is impeccable and its battery life is superb. However, the cheapest aluminum Apple portable had been lagging behind the rest of the computer world, foregoing the latest graphics and CPU technologies… until April 13. At that point, Apple announced specification bumps across the board for their MacBook Pro line. At first glance, the 13-inch MacBook Pro was the least impacted by these changes as this model still includes a Core 2 Duo processor, with only the most minor of speed increases. Yet there were two very important enhancements made to that line: significantly better graphics and significantly better battery life.

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Geek of the Week: Ashley Young, Senior, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Courtesy Melinda Bartel

Do you consider yourself a geek?
Well, I am definitely a band geek. And I’m probably an all-around geek too, because I like things like calculus and public policy.

What is the geekiest thing you own?
I have a large costume closet because I like to dress up, especially for McBride presentations. I have safari and mafia outfits and home-made pirate costumes. Also, I kept my AP Government study guide that I wrote in high school to study for the test.

What is the geekiest thing you’ve ever seen or done?
I’ve memorized the first 25 digits of Pi. I can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than 3 minutes. And I know all the US and European capitals.

Mines faculty bring together classic talent

For years, Marie Hornickel has played piano and Rebecca Flintoff has played cello, and for years they have worked together as administrative faculty at Mines. On April 29, the duo showcased their skills and performed together in the library.

Greeks party up and buckle down

Ever wondered what the Greeks have been up to? In this article, you will find Greek involvement on campus, community service undertaken, and some fun events coming up. The Greeks strive to help out the campus and the community while achieving academically and still having a good time.

What’s Your Beef: Parking and power cords

Why aren’t there power cords to rent in the digger den? Suggestion: Keep 4-5 extension cords in stock, and hold BlasterCard during rental.
Good news! There are now power strips available for check out at the Student Center Information Desk. Your BlasterCard will be held at the desk during the check-out period. Thanks for the suggestion!

What is the school doing for the students about parking?

Ashley Young, ASCSM Vice President and Chair of the Parking Services & Public Safety Committee answered as follows:

The School:

An outside (private) consulting firm was hired to evaluate our parking system and recommend changes for next year.
Parking Services recently rebalanced several of the freshman lots (Ford, the upper gravel lot) to include upperclassman parking spaces. In light of the recent construction, Parking Services has also juggled moving faculty and other reserved spaces around the campus.

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Minds at Mines: After Finals

The number of classes left until summer arrives can be counted on one hand. Hooray! Happy dance, wild cavorting, parties, stress free… Oh wait. Summer may be tantalizingly near, but there is still a tremendous obstacle impeding its path. Not just a tremendous obstacle, but a behemoth, a Tyrannosaurus Rex in the way of happiness. It’s a stressing, pass-or-fail, will-I-get-an-A-or-will-I get-a-B-and-ruin-the-GPA-forever obstacle. It’s about losing the will to crack open that textbook for a last time… Egads! It’s almost finals. So, in true Mines fashion, let’s ignore the pink elephant in the room and focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. After finals. The summer. Ah, happiness.

Articles by Ian Littman