News

Unrenovated and unloved, Wu and Wilcox empty out

While the novelty of the just-completed Whitman College dining hall and renovated spaces at Rocky-Mathey have attracted students from across campus, Wilcox and Wu dining halls have been consistently empty since the beginning of the academic year.Butler and Wilson College residents have been forgoing the traditional fare and atmosphere of their own dining halls for the novelties of Whitman and Rocky-Mathey.Meals that used to attract around 250 students to Wu now barely reach 50, said Jordan Bubin '09, student dining services manager, gesturing to the scant number of students seated at the Wilcox tables around him."It's the same sort of thing on each side [of the Butler/Wilson kitchen]," Bubin said.

Ahmadinejad arrives at Columbia

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faced a firestorm of harsh criticism from administrators, students and protestors yesterday during a visit to Columbia University.In a speech in the university's Alfred Lerner Hall, he defended his government's pursuit of nuclear energy, denounced the creation of Israel in the Palestinian homeland and declared that homosexuality does not exist in his country.Columbia president Lee Bollinger delivered a stinging introduction of the foreign leader, calling his guest a "petty and cruel dictator" and said that his denial of the Holocaust made him look "illiterate and ignorant."Bollinger, who has been criticized for extending an invitation to the controversial president, defended his decision and argued holding the town hall meeting was the right thing to do, adding that it was required "by the existing norms of free speech, the American university and Columbia itself.""In universities, we have a single-minded commitment to pursue the truth," Bollinger told a crowd of more than 700 people, most of them students.

Meek geek seeks fame and fortune

A 26-year-old graduate student with large glasses and closely cropped curly hair stands opposite a mannequin dressed in women's clothing on prime-time television.Psychologist Debbie Magids gives Joshua Green GS '06 a task: greet this mannequin as if it were your grandmother.

Princetonians: Iranian president wouldn't be welcome

As thousands of protestors marched through the streets surrounding Columbia's campus yesterday, Princeton community members were puzzled and angered by the event that brought Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the podium.

Student-grown fertilizer co. settles Miracle-Gro suit over trademark

A local fertilizer company started by two former Princeton students has settled a lawsuit brought by Miracle-Gro accusing them of false advertising and trademark infringement.Though Scotts Miracle-Gro Company did not receive any monetary damages from TerraCycle, Inc. ? which Tom Szaky '05 and Jon Beyer '05 founded in 2001 ? the fertilizer giant got everything else it sought in the complaint.

Media war intensifies over lawsuit

The battle between the University and the Robertson family is gathering increasing national attention as it continues to play out in the media.

Columbia to host Ahmadinejad

Columbia University will host one of the world's most controversial leaders today when Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivers a much-anticipated speech there this afternoon.Ahmadinejad's visit has stirred controversy on the Columbia campus and attracted national attention.

Water Wars

Residential colleges update dining halls with new look, superior meals

As Whitman College's voluminous dining hall draws hordes of hungry students, the renovated Rocky-Mathey dining facilities have also seen a drastic upswing in mealtime traffic.Both locations aim to emulate the food court in Frist Campus Center, with a marketplace-style layout and a wider selection of foods.

Making a scene across the University

Princetonian Beatles fans who enjoy singing along to the group's hit song "Hey Jude" saw an unexpected character in town this weekend: Jude himself.He's the protagonist of a Beatles-inspired musical movie, "Across the Universe," which was partially filmed at Princeton and features scenes set on the Princeton campus.

Beating the crowd at Whitman College

Forbes residents often complain about the crowds that flock to their fabled Sunday brunch. But lengthy lines for an omelet at the Inn pale in comparison to the throngs that have swarmed Whitman for almost every meal since the dining hall opened at the beginning of the semester."It's becoming extremely overcrowded all the time," Whitman resident Eric Schlossberg '10 said.

Latino students want better representation in academia

A faculty and student panel discussed Latino issues Friday night, touching upon self-segregation, academics and representation at the University.Held at the Fields Center, the event drew almost 100 attendees who mingled over Latin-themed music and food before starting their discussion on the "Latino problem" at Princeton.

Professor explains how we make decisions

Why do people play the lottery? Why do people think they're in the slowest line at the grocery store or the most congested traffic lane?It's because the human mind focuses on memorable things like lottery winners holding big checks on TV and not on less memorable things like lines that were quick to get through, Harvard psychology professor Daniel Gilbert explained in a lecture last night.Gilbert told a McCosh 50 audience of several hundred students, faculty and community members "How to Do Precisely the Right Thing at All Possible Times," describing the thought processes behind making everyday decisions.

Everclear through Alexakis' eyes

Everclear lead singer Art Alexakis "never really wanted to be famous or a big rock star or anything like that." All he wanted was "to make a living from making my own music."But he got much more, including a Grammy nomination for 1997's "So Much for the Afterglow" and a dozen singles in the top 100.Alexakis, whose band performs at Lawnparties this Sunday, has overcome adversity in his life, and those past struggles are a "predominant theme" in the band's music, he said."I'm 45, and I've learned that life is pretty difficult," he said.

Whitman meant to last 150 years, architect says

Dimitri Porphyrios GS '74 was the chief architect of recently-completed Whitman College. He recently spoke with the Daily Princetonian's Brian No about the college's design and construction, and his next project, a new addition for Ivy Club. Have you seen the finished product?

The swing of things

Students take advantage of free swing-dancing lessons sponsored by the Princeton Ballroom Dancing Club last night in Dillon Gym.

A star chamber play

Dylan Alban '09 (l.) and Sam Zetumer '09 perform 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' in Dod Courtyard on the first day of the Princeton Shakespeare Company's festival, which continues through the weekend.

Ctrl+Alt+Lawnparties: The Backslash

As gourmands of hip-hopera know, R. Kelly is fond of guns. From marital infidelity to can opening, there are few problems that Kels can't solve by pulling out his Beretta and counting to three.

Muldoon to be editor at New Yorker

Poet and creative writing professor Paul Muldoon will soon add yet another title to his already well-adorned resume.Muldoon will succeed Alice Quinn as poetry editor of the New Yorker sometime before the end of the year.

Garden of eating

As students headed indoors this week to attend lectures, seminars and precepts, a few brave souls traveled in the opposite direction to an empty lot at the corner of Alexander Road and University Place.The plot is set to be transformed into a 3,000-sq.