We all know Rhode Island can be a little backwards at times. From continuing to allow indoor prostitution to flourish until 2009, to the racist awkward reality that we’re that only state in the nation with the word “plantations” still in its name (true story, look it up), this place can be a little behind the times every now and then. Throw in a dash of good ol’ fashioned Puritan anti-drinking fervor, and you’ve got a real recipe for success — a fact which might help explain why the news team over at NBC1o has been living under a rock for a better part of the  last decade.

In a recent video “exclusive” (posted not but two weeks ago) , the I-team over at the local news station exposed the perils of a “dangerous new drinking game” sweeping the Providence community by storm.  Now, if you’re like any other student on this campus, your ears probably immediately perk up upon hearing that magical phrase. I think the only four words I might like more in conjunction with one another are “here’s a free burrito” or “there’s the open bar.” Unfortunately for us, however, the dangerous “new” drinking game the investigative team has uncovered is about as new as Professor Hazeltine (we love you Barrett!).

What is this mystery pasttime, you ask? [Read more →]

Brunonia really is crazy for Krasinski. If you haven’t stepped into J. Walter Wilson today, you’re missing out on the pandemonium that is ticket distribution for John Krasinski ’01′s triumphant return to Browntown. The line started around 9 am, and it just keeps growing and growing. Right now, the line winds all the way up the back stairwell of J. Walter Wilson to the sixth floor and is now beginning to make its way back down. Rumor says there’s only 200 tickets available today. Panic ensues.

If you thought you hit the lottery because you signed a lease for that white Victorian on Waterman, let me burst your bubble. Those that live on John Street… maybe you should stop reading. Turns out students at the University of California, Merced, are literally living the life off-campus applicants dream of, at least according to the New York Times. From chandeliers to Jacuzzis, these kidz don’t care for stereotypes— they’re apparently too busy sipping Natty Lights by the “curvaceous swimming pools” of their low-rent McMansions.

Not going to lie, as I read this article, a part of me died. But here’s some food for thought to make you feel better: yes, their housing (and by housing, I mean actual six-bedroom houses with elegant fixtures and backyards and carpeting and… where was I going with this?) may be exponentially better than ours, but their real estate fortune has a clearly defined expiration date. I’m not saying Brown is very indicative of the real world, but at least we’re used to some housing heartbreak. Which might prepare us for the disappointment of finding a house after we move out of the East Side… right? I mean, that picture doesn’t even look totally fun or anything.

Image via.

There’s a scary presence on Brown’s campus. It’s up in your dorm room interrupting your study time. It attacks classes by the dozens. It’s stretching its gangrenous arms into your daily conversations, your romantic life, your Facebook news feed. Try as hard you can, you can’t escape…

…from The Huffington Post. That’s right, HuffPost: Brown’s lowest common denominator. Its obnoxious green banner is ubiquitous — if you don’t believe me, just sit in the back row of Intro IR sometime. But why do we settle for HuffPost? Why do we put up with the sensational and bewildering headlines? How do we live with ourselves, seeing that right sidebar populated with such well-researched stories as “The Shortest Shorts You’ve Ever Seen“; “Verdict Handed Down in Pooper-Scooper Trial“; and “Pumpkin Bump” (yeah, click that one)? And those stories are all from Wednesday, by the way.

There must be a better way. There are. Check out these alternative default pages for news:

[Read more →]

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. If you happened to stop by the Blue Room yesterday afternoon, you might have noticed the big touch screen with an interactive exhibit about Brown.

The man responsible for the exhibit is CS professor Andries van Dam, and BlogDailyHerald managed to get a few answers direct from the source about this cool new project.  [Read more →]

Don’t get too excited. Former Providence mayor Joseph Paolino, Jr. announced that the First Lady will be gracing the East Side of Providence this weekend. She will be at a fundraiser September 30 at Paolino’s home to raise money for her hubby’s reelection campaign. But don’t start picking out your business clothes just yet — breathing Mrs. Obama’s air will cost you a pretty penny. Tickets start at $1,000 and could go up to $30,500.

So you need to ask yourself: do you really want to spend a year’s tuition on a few hours with Mrs. O?

We know you know. Ruth is stepping down. Reactions have been mixed: some cried, some nodded their heads respectfully, some went into hysterics (I am guilty of this one). What brought us all together, however, was not the community announcement listserv. It was the need to express our emotions, vent our frustrations and share the joy of having had the opportunity to see Ruth at the Blue Room… through the Internet.

The mass of Facebook status updates which resulted from the news of Ruth’s impending resignation began at circa 10:50 a.m., just minutes after the email from Ruth was sent out to all Brunonians. Here are some of our favorite updates:

First, the shock. And the rhetorical questions.

Then, the panic.   [Read more →]

According to Buzzfeed, Rhode Island has been deemed one of the hip(ster)est states in the nation, nestled between the District of Columbia and Washington State. The criteria to determine which states had that hip factor was how many times each state searched “hipster look”, “hipster music”, “hipster fashion”, or some other “hipster”-related phrase pertaining to said lifestyle. So, basically: the states that went against the foundation of hipsterdom and consciously tried to be hip.

Regardless, pull out your flannel and listen to some Animal Collective, since GoLocalProv gave Brown students a shout-out for “falling under the banner of the ‘hipster’“.

By now, footage is ubiquitous of the 8.9 Sendai earthquake and the catastrophic tsunami that followed on Japan’s Pacific coast last week. The damage is surreal: huge boats are turned sideways; cars are piled on top of each other; houses are swept right off their foundations into piles of wood scraps. 6,000 have been confirmed dead or missing, and that number is expected to rise drastically in the coming weeks. Thousands of others are without shelter, food and electricity, and rising radiation levels are pointing to a nuclear crisis.

One of the many things to love about our dear old school is that it’s home to a community of activists, but with an event of this massive scale, it can get daunting figuring out how to lend a helping hand. We’ve roped together a few worthy causes; look into ‘em all, pick a cause, and help away. Any little bit of help will count, but what’s most important is that we keep spreading the word.  [Read more →]

Life’s tough when you need to ice skate to your 9:00 AM class, and nearly have a concussion from that almost-slip on the way to Pembroke. Despite the best efforts from the Facilities Management staff, Mother Nature has gotten the last laugh this winter, plaguing Providence with fickle rise and drops in temperature and the always-joyful greeting of wintry mix. Various Brown forums have spotted EMS escorting students off of the ice traps and into the safety of the ambulances. Luckily, the groundhog gave spring the nod, and we’re already seeing specks of green dotting the layers of white snow. [Read more →]