Tag Archives: posting from abroad

FEATURED
NYU Student Clicks Reply-All on Listserv, Hilarity Ensues for Everyone Not at NYU

Two days ago, the Bursar’s office at NYU sent out a typical administrative email to all 39,979 students at NYU entitled “Opting Out of the Paper Version of Your 1098T.” Shortly after, NYU sophomore Max Wiseltier, attempting to forward the email to his mom, accidentally clicked Reply All. He quickly realized his error and apologized:

Of course, by this point, the metaphorical door had been opened. In fact, it had been wrenched off the hinges and thrown across the room by the 39,979 people who realized that, with the click of a button, they could email 39,978 other people—NYU’s total student body. For scale, that’s only about 7,500 less than the entire population of Middletown, which was 47,481 in the 2010 census (and way more than the population of my typical Connecticut suburban hometown, which is 23,511).

How did this happen? NYU Local’s tech editor, Ben Zweig, explains the problem:

“NYU uses something called E-Mail Direct for most mass emails. That system is meant for one-way emailing.” E-Mail Direct does not allow for reply-alls, therefore you cannot respond to most mass emails. Several NYU departments still rely on the older, discussion-based ListManager program, however. ListManager also sends mass emails, but allows discussions (in the form of reply-alls), unless the settings are adjusted, disabling group discussions and only permitting emails from admins.

Continue reading →

MUSIC
New Single by Wesleyan Students—Music and Public Life

Evan Okun ’13— slam poet, musician, and generally all-around awesome person—wants you to know about a new single released today as part of Music & Public Life. His description below:

Click here to play and download (for free): “Billionaire (remix)“—composed, written, recorded, mixed, and mastered entirely by Wesleyan students/graduates: Evan Okun ’13 (Rapper & Lyricist), Mel Hsu ’13 (Cellist and Vocalist), Sam Friedman ’13 (Harmonica player and Pianist ), Greg Shaheen ’13 (Percussionist), Garth Taylor ’12 (Vocalist), and Jared Paul ’11 (Engineer).  Even the photograph used for the Album Art was shot and edited by a Wesleyan student!

The song is being released to promote the year-long campus-wide exploration of Music & Public Life, which began this past Friday with THE MASH.  After listening, please find a room, an instrument, a friend, and make music!

This song simultaneously examines (1) the human tendency to self indulge (focusing on liberal-elites recent tendency to place all blame on the 1% without addressing the unsustainable standard of living that we, the top 10%, have grown accustom to) and (2) the Buddhist theory that all craving ultimately leads to dissatisfaction, since it implicitly frames life without the desired object/body as empty or devoid of substantial value. Bang Bang.

Chris Kluwe Releases Hilarious Defense of Free-Speech, Same-Sex Marriage

I said I would not make Wesleying posts from abroad, broke my rule to post about the Walden student forum, and find myself breaking my own rule again to post about this letter from Chris Kluwe to state legislator Emmett C. Burns, Jr. because, frankly, it was just too awesome to not share.

The situation: as early as 2009, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo publicly supported gay marriage in a Huffington Post op-ed, and has consistently spoken out in favor of same-sex marriage, including speaking out in favor of Maryland ballot initiatives granting same-sex marriage twice (links here and here).

In response, Democratic Maryland state legislator Emmett C. Burns, Jr. sent this letter to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti on August 29, 2012, stating that he finds it “inconceivable that one of your players, Mr. Brendon Ayanbadejo, would publicly endorse Same-Sex marriage, specifically, as a Raven football player.” The succinct letter goes on to state that such a view “has no place in a sport that is strictly for pride, entertainment and excitement.” Key is the final paragraph, visible past the jump: 

Continue reading →

EVENT
Student Forum: Reading Walden — Spots Available

In fall of my freshman year, I took an FYI with Professor Henry Abelove simply called “Thoreau.” The syllabus of the class consisted of Thoreau’s famous book Walden and nothing else. The class was not only one of the best ones I’ve taken at Wesleyan, but also one of the most eye-opening. I was inspired enough that I’ve gone to Walden twice with classmates since taking the class and almost always have the book on hand to reread.

Though Henry Abelove’s semester with my class was his last teaching at Wesleyan, I’m excited to announce that two of my classmates, Leonid Liu ’14 and Oren Finard ’14, are teaching a student forum modeled after Abelove’s legendary class—with Abelove’s approval, of course. If I weren’t abroad, I’d definitely be taking this, and if you’re at Wes, you should add it to your list. It sounds cheesy, but I probably learned more about myself from reading Walden than I have at any other moment in my life. Description after the jump: 

Continue reading →