The Face of Tuition: Loans

One article in a package of three for In Focus profiling different students and how they pay for college. My profile was about a student who pays through loans. Published 27 Feb.

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It wasn’t until the beginning of this semester that Megan DeWolf realized her time was coming.

She would graduate this May, then she’d have six months.

Six months, then she’d have to start paying back the $22,625 in loans she needed to attend the University.

She laughed, a little nervously, talking about the situation at a Starbucks last week. “There’s definitely a lot of stress,” she said, “especially because you only have a certain amount of time to get that money back before they come after you.”

The BG News on YouTube

I’ve worked over the last few days to edit our first post for a new Forum video blog, featuring columnists from the section I edit.

I created a YouTube account for the News, shot video and edited it with iMovie.  Check it out at youtube.com/TheBGNews.

Don’t forget about The BG News’ regular blog, too: bgnewsforum.blogspot.com.

Campaign chairman makes the case for Clinton

Coverage of Terry McAuliffe, Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager, visiting the BGSU College Democrats to plead the case for Clinton ahead of the Ohio primaries in March.

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Terry McAuliffe walked into a somewhat difficult situation at the College Democrats’ meeting last night.

McAuliffe, the chairman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, came to make the case for Clinton to a room that generally supported Barack Obama.

As if adding insult, the projector in the room showed MSNBC’s Web site saying it projected Obama to win last night’s Wisconsin primaries.

But McAuliffe soldiered on, fielding questions from around 25 students and faculty about Clinton’s positions.

“I’ve known Hillary for 25 years, it’s personal to me,” he said.

Two CD reviews

Reviews of MAP’s “Regrets, Silhouettes and Distractions” and Kissing Cousins’ “She’s Right.” Published 15 Feb.

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MAP

Grade | A

I’ve been listening to MAP’s “Regrets, Silhouettes and Distractions” for a little more than a week now, and I still can’t figure out why I like it.

Maybe it’s the subdued quality of the first 20 minutes or so. “Crime Theory” and “Alone on Christmas” mask Josh Dooley’s voice under seas of reverb, while the guitars strum quietly along. Occasionally drums offer a few thumps, but otherwise hang out with calm shakers and tambourines.

Maybe it’s the sudden shift into “A Monk with a Gun” or the 12-minute epic “Vixen [I've Been Caught].”

Those tracks are dark, dreary affairs (“It’s been years since we started this charade/Girl, I have been replaced/Don’t walk away from me/I’m talking to you”). There are huge codas of endlessly repeating riffs. The keyboards sound like they’re slopped in molasses and cold electronic drums replace the splashes of the songs before.

Maybe it’s the just-as-sudden shift back into Belle and Sebastian territory, all short bits of dream pop that each manage to have a distinct feel.

None of these sections of the album sounds like the other. Usually I wouldn’t like that. This time, I do, and I really don’t know why. I just know it’s unpretentious and enjoyable.

‘Raucous Caucus’ at Campus Pollyeyes

Brief coverage of an election night party in BG. Published 6 Feb.

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It was like a breadstick stuffed with politics.

Around 50 University students and faculty members, fueled by $200 worth of food and two widescreen TVs tuned to CNN, crowded into Campus Pollyeyes last night for “Raucous Caucus” to watch the Super Tuesday returns trickle in.

The turnout nearly breached Pollyeyes’ fire safety limit and far exceeded what the organizers, political science honors society Pi Sigma Alpha, expected.

“This is amazing that so many people are so excited about the election,” said Corinne Staggs, the society’s president.