Courtesy of Gizmodo.com

How far has the terrible tyranny of Steve Jobs gone? How about denying the basic rights of Americans and journalists–the right to free speech.

Last week Apple, in their deluded beliefs that its company’s secrets are more important than basic freedoms, searched the home of Gizmodo editor Jason Chen for its missing iPhone.

The very same iPhone that Apple engineer, Gray Powell, lost in a bar last month. The iPhone, which is believed to be the one scheduled for release by Apple in June, was bought by tech blog Gizmodo who subsequently posted pictures and a full breakdown of the phone. This same phone was returned to Apple at the request of the evil empire. End of the problem right? Apparently not.

Apple requested a search warrant which was executed for the iPhone which had subsequently been returned to Apple. The police, acting on Apple’s behalf confiscated Chen’s personal computer, home server and phone as well as other personal belongings.

Under the first amendment of the United States, this is an illegal intrusion on any journalist. State and government law protects journalists and their sources. In the 21st Century, an age of technology, the term “journalist” should cover bloggers as well.

But this is only the top most transgression by Apple, Inc. on the lives of Gizmodo staffers. John Cook, a former Gawker (Gizmodo’s parent company) Editor, said Apple sits on the steering committee of the very same police unit who conducted the search–an egregious conflict of interest.

It’s apparent that Apple is trying to cover its own ass in what ever way they can coerce their minions into doing. This is not to say they are the only ones at fault. Shame also gets placed on the police for acting on a search warrant that has no legal grounds.

Simple point, if Apple wanted to protect its secrets so badly they should have never let Gray Powell lose its new iPhone in the first place.

Things I will miss:
1. I love the residential community on campus. There are few places in the outside world where people can knock on your door at 1 a.m., completely hosed, asking for a cigarette and have it be acceptable. How many neighborhoods can you go to where you can waltz into anyone’s place, assuming it’s open, and be welcomed warmly? Never again will I be within walking distance of all the people I love, and that makes me sad.

2. President Walter Harrison. We truly lucked out with one of the best university presidents around, and I have never heard anyone speak an ill word about him. Knowing that, at the top of the chain, there is an administrator who truly cares about the student body, is comforting. There is no question about it, if anyone believes in us, it’s President Harrison, and I cannot thank him more for his unrelenting support of all of our endeavors.

3. Brilliance. There are plenty of professors on this campus that are absolutely brilliant, and I wish I’d had the chance to spend more time learning from them.

4. The Office of Residential Life Staff. Although RAs may not be too popular among residents as policy enforcers, and I may not always agree with the policies ORL implements, as a group these people are some of the most amazing people I have ever had the opportunity to work with. We made it through some major campus crises (student losses, armed robberies, fires, floods, damage and whatever else was thrown at us) with the support of each other.

My experience with ORL has allowed and encouraged me to grow into a strong person, even when residents are throwing their empty beer cans across the lawn and dumping their drinks on my feet. My time on duty can only be described as interesting, and for that I thank ORL (and of course, the residents for making all of these incidents possible).

5. The Informer. I figured this would be a give-in, but in the three years I spent as a writer and copy editor, I have had some amazing times. I feel as though this year’s editorial board is more like a weirdly deranged family than a staff, and I just cannot imagine it being any different. The dedication of this staff to the paper, the news and the pursuit of uncovering corruption and unjust treatment in the university community is unmatched, and we have the credentials to prove it. I am having a hard time imagining my Wednesday nights without these people.

Things I won’t miss:
1. The apathy of the student body (and students in general). Stand up for yourselves! I was disgusted to see so many people say they were going to protest Spring Fling or go to the general CAT meeting where administration was fielding student questions, and then see so few people actually DO something about it. In order to grow as people, we need to be willing to question the things we don’t agree with in a proactive way. Don’t just complain, come up with a solution and then make a sincere attempt at implementing it.

2. Sunday morning party trash. Although I know there’s nothing better than waking up on Sunday morning and reliving the events of a successful party, it doesn’t need to be all over the Village lawn. I’m looking forward to my future front lawn/stoop/sidewalk being decorated with ornaments and not beer cans (although depending on who you are, I suppose they could be one in the same).

3. Aramark. Not only have I been subjected to severely undercooked meats, dirty kitchen conditions, rude employees and extremely overpriced food, I haven’t been able to choose my own meal plan for three years (as part of my RA compensation). There’s nothing better than living in an area on campus with a full kitchen and not being able to cook any food because I only had 250 dining dollars to last me 14 weeks.

4. The deluge. Don’t act like you’re going to miss having to trudge through inches and inches of water each time it even looks like it’s going to rain.

5. The lack of respect that students get from administration. I’m sorry, but we are all adults here, and for some reason when I try to have a question answered by an administrator, I get the runaround. When my parents call, though, the first person they speak to seems to have the answer, even if I spoke to that person just an hour earlier about the same thing.

So many of my friends and peers have been screwed because someone miscounted their credits or because their advisors told them they were set to graduate even though they were missing credits. There needs to be a serious overhaul in the near future to get rid of the people who are detrimental to students due to careless mistakes or a lack of care.

To the class of 2010, I wish you the best of luck. I hope you never lose touch with the people you love, and live your life to the fullest. Yes, it’s cheesy, but it’s also true. I will look back on my time at Hartford fondly, and with the hopes of hearing about the successes of my peers in the papers. Congratulations, 2010 graduates.

It’s hard for me to say goodbye, especially to this publication. I’ve been on e-board for three years now. That’s longer than some people stay with a company in the real world. But I’ve stuck it out, and it was the best decision of my life.
I’ve grown so much by being involved in this organization. I went from being incredibly unsure of myself to the person who is here today: someone who is confident, devoted and (sometimes) poised.

I wasn’t supposed to be in this position a year ago. I was never supposed to be news editor, and through a strange series of events, I’ve ended up here. And, even though it’s been scary and difficult for me, I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
It’s so hard for me to figure out where to even start this. There are so many amazing people, stories and events that have lead me to this point.

I’m glad I’ve had such a supporting family. There have been so many times that I’ve wanted to give up and just cry, but they haven’t let me be defeated. I wouldn’t have been able to develop and grow if it weren’t for them. Thanks for listening to all of the tearful phone calls and for making me smile at the end.

And then there are my friends who have turned into my family. The people I confide in and depend on, and the people who I would do anything for. I’m glad that I’ve found people who will stick by me through everything and anything, and you’ve all helped me become a much better person.

I know that we’re all going to do amazing things, and we’re all going to become rich and famous. To my fellow seniors on staff, good luck in everything you do. You are some of the brightest and most driven people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. We’ve seen just about everything when it comes to the newspaper (and going out on Thursday nights). You’ve all made my transition to this position less scary, and I couldn’t imagine doing this thing without all of you. I’m going to miss you.

I have the utmost confidence that next year, our legacy will live onward with the guidance of Jeremy. You are an amazing writer, and I know that you are going to whip the new e-board into shape. But they’ll never be like us, right?

To my professors who pushed me to my limit, who made me ask “why?” (my favorite question) and who put all of their effort into making their students a priority, thank you. The world needs more of you.

And to you, one of the most wonderful additions to my life, I can only say thank you. Thank you for faithfully reading my writing every week and for letting me know what you thought of my section or my column or anything that was put in the paper.

Thank you for loving me through the late nights and the breakdowns. And thank you for giving me the confidence I needed when I couldn’t seem to find it.

So now where do I go? I’m right alongside with a lot of people in the class of 2010 who don’t know exactly what they’re doing after they walk off stage on May 16. But I do know this: I have had an incredible four years at this university, and I’ve had the chance to do a lot of amazing things. From the Informer to being an RA to being on more e-boards than I can count to having an internship with the Hartford Courant, I know that I’ve made the most of my time here.

The only advice I can give to those not graduating is to do the same: make the most of your time. Do everything you’ve always wanted to do. You’ll get the opportunity to do some amazing things and meet a lot of even more amazing people.

So I guess this is it. This is goodbye. Peace out, Informer. I’ll miss you.

“But, personally, I feel more like the people I worked with were more like my family and I died,” he says.

On May 16, nine of my friends here at the Informer will move on to the real world, all with different hopes and dreams.

I’m going to be here next year as Editor-in-Chief of the Informer, so why does it feel as though I’m the one that will be dead?
In 2007 I was a freshman, completely terrified of everything that was happening—sure the classes were interesting, but everything was just strange and new to me.

Before that, I had briefly met the then-Informer staff at the club fair during orientation, where I needed very little persuasion to sign up to become a writer.

Needless to say, it was the best decision of my entire college career here. Seriously. I enjoyed having the opportunities this organization has presented me especially with the nine seniors on staff that are graduating.

With this staff I went on my first flight and subsequent flights to amazing places, as well as getting stranded in not so amazing places (Sorry, Charlotte, but an inch or less of snow does not mean ground all flights, at least where I come from).
In the last two years I have been on the editorial board, we have received acclaim far more than any other years on record. The Informer is a finalist for an Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker award and was awarded second runner-up for the New England Society of Newspaper Editors’ college newspaper award.

These accolades wouldn’t have been possible without the excellent leadership skills that our Editor-in-Chief, Melissa, possesses. She will be modest about it, but she asks for nothing less than extraordinary effort from this staff and what we produce shows it.

This staff is populated with truly great people—always willing to help each other out no matter what the circumstance and sharing a laugh. It goes without saying, but seniors, you’ll be missed.

At the same time excited with the prospects of leading a new editorial board with members who are already becoming fast friends.

The prevailing theme here is flight and, for the senior staff, their flights are departing the gate and preparing for takeoff.
I know, whatever the destination, seniors on staff will be successful in whatever they decide to do. One thing is for sure; I will cherish the experiences we had together as a staff and as friends.

Reflecting back on my four years here at the university and with the Informer, I have transformed into a different person, a better, stronger person. It is the people around me who have helped make this change possible. From being pushed through the door for GSU 158 to becoming the Editor-in-Chief for the last two years, I’ve grown as a person.

Ninety-six issues! Can you believe that? I have worked on 96 issues of the Informer in my time here at the university, and each one had brought its own unique trials and tribulations that cause stress and tension but also builds a solid foundation for the editorial staff. A foundation built upon late nights, pulling through at the last minute and trusting that it will all get done. I think this year we have been faced with more dilemmas, hardships and successes than any other year that I have been involved with the paper. The hard-hitting news stories that caused controversy and the issues that were covered. These things only made us stronger. I am so proud of what we as a staff have accomplished this year.

The university’s current ideal is “committed to community” and it is getting stronger each day, but I believe community starts on a smaller level. Developing working and academic relationships, and even life-long friendships become the basis for the strong communal sense that one feels. This has definitely been felt on the Informer staff each and every year I have been a part of this amazing team. It’s my home away from home.

The Informer has become my family on campus. We argue, tease, joke, collaborate, support and accept each other for who we are and I am so happy to be apart of this Informer family. I’ve had some of my best college moments with my staff and I have no doubt that we will all keep in touch in the future. There are nine of us graduating from the editorial board this year and I know that they will all go on to do extraordinary things. I have developed close relationships with all of them and I am going to miss them so much. One of the hardest parts about graduating is leaving my Informer family. Every member has been part of a support structure for me. They have been there through the good times and the bad times and never wavering in lending support in any way they can.

This year we were awarded second-runner up for the best college newspaper by the New England Society of Newspaper Editors. We also just recently found out that we are a finalist for Pacemaker for our online content. These accomplishments can only be attributed to the hard work and dedication of the devoted staff.

The print edition of the Informer and even our online content has improved so much over the last four years that I’m still shocked to see where we started. We have redesigned the whole print edition, consistently put out on Thursdays and have vastly improved our content. I am so excited to see what next year’s staff will do with the paper.

I’ve been able to do so many things here that I never thought I would ever be able to do. Such as traveling all over the country and getting stuck in Charlotte with the snow. Interviewing movie stars and administrators. The attempts at investigative journalism with the help of Dr. Desmond provided great insight into the working of the legal system and also lead us on wild goose chases. I have learned so much from my time at the Informer and I am grateful for the opportunities that I had at the university. I’m really going to miss my time here at the Informer and I’m going to miss everyone so much.

I would like to thank each and everyone on the Informer editorial board this year for your support. I also could not have made it through these last four years without the support of my family, friends and my advisor Dr. Christensen. I’m so grateful to have been able to work with such a great group of people and to be surrounded by all the love and support of everyone around me.

Courtesy of Texaschapbookpress.com

Just recently, the Johns Hopkins medical school in Vancouver, Washington began ongoing experiments with psilocybin, the psychoactive element in hallucinogenic mushrooms. This ingredient can reportedly treat disorders such as depression in cancer patients, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and even addiction to drugs and alcohol, like no other drug can.

While advocacy for these experiments won’t be hard to find among our nation’s younger generation, psychedelics haven’t been so taboo for the past 50 years for nothing. People all react differently; the drug can have completely opposite affects on two separate people. And while some groups already view hallucinogens as being beneficial, elements such as laws, warnings and general uncertainty about the subject leave most to believe it’s nothing but risky business.

When experimenting in a realm so unknown and frowned upon, will scientists be able to win over the support of a society whose overwhelming majority have preconceived notions?

Well, they already have support from many cancer patients such as 65-year old Clark Martin, who recently had his first psychedelic experience after other anti-depressants failed to work. According to the New York Times, “Dr. Martin credits that six-hour experience with helping him overcome his depression and profoundly transforming his relationships.”

During Timothy Leary’s experiments in the ‘60s, 75 percent of participants described their trials as one of the best experiences of their lives, giving a decent indication to how people being tested on are describing it today.

Now, with more information and new technology, it is easier to take any necessary precautions, and there’s no reason these drugs shouldn’t be administered to those who are suffering.

Because of the uncertainty to reactions and knowledge of the risks, during these experiments doctors and scientists have created standardized guidelines when patients are being treated.

There are specific rules to ensure the patient is in a comfortable setting, there are always monitors present who are experts in dealing with any adverse reaction, and there is now technology available to study the brains of subjects while under the influence of drugs, more accurately gauging the effects.

Acting under these guidelines, several controlled experiments have been conducted and the results have all come out the same: “psilocybin could induce what the experimental subjects described as a profound spiritual experience with lasting positive affects,” according to the New York Times.

As of now, there is federal approval for these experiments to continue, but little money is being granted for furthering research.

Preliminary success is being reported, so with just a little more support for the cause, so many suffering from depression and other diseases can find the glimpse of hope hiding somewhere in their subconscious.

While hundreds of students we’re gathered in the gymnasium, many were convened in front of the alley where the rape was occurring stopping to have a quick laugh and snap a few photos.

Lt. Mark Gagan of the Richmond Police Department told CNN.com, “As people announced over time that this was going on, more and more people came to see, and some actually participated.”

Gagan also stated that the witnesses of this horrendous crime failed to report what they saw to the local law enforcement. Five arrests were made, with others impending, but the question still remains, why didn’t anyone come forward to help?

Many psychologists believe that this type of occurrence is due to the social psychological phenomenon known as the bystander effect. The bystander effect refers to the idea that when there are a greater number of people present it’s less likely for someone to help a person in distress.

There are a few thoughts as to why people react this way in situations where their help could mean all the difference to another human’s life. First, is the idea that when there are more people in a group there is a diffusion of responsibility, meaning nobody wants to be the one to pick up the phone and dial 911.

The second is the idea that when people are in groups there’s a need to act as part of the norm, so in essence being the hero would seem completely ridiculous to the other members of the group.

The term bystander effect was coined in the ‘60s after neighbors of 20-year-old Kitty Genovese watched and heard a serial killer stalk and stab her to death in two separate instances in her neighborhood of Queens, New York.

Genovese allegedly struggled with her attacker on the street and in her building all the while screaming for help yet nobody came to her aid. According to The New York Times, one neighbor who was questioned by police as to why he failed to act said, “I didn’t want to be involved.”

This infamous case became the primary example of the bystander effect. These types of instances occur more often then we’d like to believe in today’s society. It’s not just enough to say that you would be willing to come to the aid of another human being in need of help, we should be constantly ready to protect with as little as a phone call to the police.

Sounds simple but many don’t react as they should, instead they turn away, fearing that by getting themselves involved they are somehow going to be the next victim yet to stand by and do nothing is corrupting our societies moral integrity.

In the case of the young California girl, many witnesses later stated that they were afraid of gang retaliation but just a single 911 call could have saved this young girl from the psychological damage that comes from a brutal attack like this.

So I leave you with this question, would you be the hero or just another bystander?

Gallagher’s introduction on Friday morning at Chase Arena concluded one of the strangest weeks in university history. Last Tuesday night Leibovitz left the program, a move that created a chain of events culminating in Gallagher being hired to take over for his former boss. Sound confusing? It was. But now, after all the dust has settled in, the Hawks have a new coach.

Will it work out? Time will tell. “I’m really pleased at how this has all worked out,” said Hartford President Walter Harrison. “I’m really optimistic for the future of our men’s basketball team.”

While Harrison is optimistic, I’m a little more skeptical of hiring another 32-year-old coach with no experience leading his own program. But, after meeting Gallagher and listening to him talk for only ten minutes, one thing is painfully obvious: This isn’t the same 32-year-old coach the university hired four years ago. John Gallagher is far different than Dan Leibovitz.

Gallagher grabbed the microphone from Director of Athletics Pat Meiser and almost instantly you could tell he was different. Lafayette coach Fran O’Hanlan said Gallagher is great at selling himself and the program. After Friday’s press conference, I understand what he means.

For ten minutes Gallagher did exactly what O’Hanlan said he can do. He sold himself, the program and the future, and if he can do that in front of recruits for the next few years, Hartford might just be able to build a winning program.

Talking to players, you get the sense they would already run through a brick wall for Gallagher. Leibovitz was a very bright coach who found early success, but you never got the feeling he was a great motivator. Just watching Gallagher at the podium, you see the confidence, and confidence is contagious.

At the very least, you can be sure Gallagher will bring new energy to the program. Meiser said Gallagher is more passionate about the game than anyone she’s ever seen, and I believe her.

Hiring a young coach can be tricky because being so close in age to the players can create a problem. Without a doubt, these players respect and love Coach Gallagher.

Leibovitz was a great individual who left a positive impact on the university with his class and work ethic. Sometimes change is needed. The players already believe in Gallagher, and by the end of his tenure, I’m guessing everyone else will too.

Courtesy of Channel4.com

One of Apple’s engineers left a prototype iPhone, expected to be unveiled later this year, on a bar stool just 20 miles from the company’s Cupertino, Calif. campus.
Gizmodo, the technology blog, paid an upwards of $5,000 to as much as $10,000 to get hands-on with a device that Apple had disabled using its “remote wipe” feature.’

I could probably go on for days about checkbook journalism that Gawker, the parent company of Gizmodo, and its owner, Nick Denton, employs. Paying for a story is such a disingenuous thing—it’s, in essence, a bribe.

But it’s hard not to feel as though Gizmodo did this to control a news cycle that Apple previously had a stranglehold over. Apple does continue to have that stranglehold, too. In an earnings call Tuesday, where Apple announced their biggest non-holiday quarter profits, not one journalist posed a question regarding the lost prototype iPhone.

One would venture to guess that every single journalistic outfit that was on that call had an article about it in their newspaper or website. That doesn’t mean paying for a story isn’t a bad idea (because it is), but when it’s a company like Apple, the reportage from Gizmodo thrusts that control away from an empire with such an authoritative hold on the public and media relations front.

But checkbook journalism isn’t the worst thing Gizmodo could have possibly done regarding this story. The blog revealed the name of the individual from the company who lost the prototype iPhone.

Thanks to Gizmodo, Gray Powell has become a name synonymous with this blunder. They threw him under the bus. Jesus Diaz wrote this lede to his article on Powell, “The Gourmet Haaus Staudt.

“A nice place to enjoy good Lagers. And if you are an Apple Software Engineer named Gray Powell, it’s also a nice place to make the honest mistake of losing the next-generation iPhone.”

The tone of this article is whimsical, and the narrative is mean-spirited. Later, we find out the guy lost the phone celebrating his birthday. Gizmodo didn’t have to release this guy’s name, they would have done just fine saying “Some guy from Apple lost this prototype.”

Joel Johnson, another writer at the site, wrote “foisting him into the public eye might help him keep his job at Apple,” but criticized for the way the blog did reveal his name.

Honestly, they didn’t have to put his name out there, so why do it? Gizmodo is in the business of making money and, hey, they’re out $10,000 from paying for that story to begin with.

Vibrators can be a girl’s best friend. Seriously. When men fail, or there’s no man in sight, a vibrator can give you exactly what you need when you need it without complaining about it. It’s the perfect silent partner.

They come in a huge assortment of kinds, sizes, colors…everything basically.

There are small, pocket-sized ones, and there are big ones like the Rabbit. Thank you, Sex and the City, for introducing the world to that one. The Rabbit is kind of intimidating, but if it’s something you’re comfortable with, it can be plenty of fun.

Girls have a harder time getting off than guys do anyway. So, with the assistance of a vibrating friend, having an orgasm can be a hell of a lot easier for girls. Plus, you can incorporate the smaller ones in sex so that while you’re having sex you use the vibrator. Good times all around.

Then there are other vibrating things like cock rings and tongue vibrators for oral sex. They’re small, but they pack a punch. These are made to enhance sex in a more convenient way than a vibrator. I’ve noticed that the rings tend to run pretty small though, so there’s a chance that it could actually hurt a guy. So be wary with that.

There are sex games to play, like card and dice games. These can be silly, but they can also give you a chance to experiment with your sexuality and your comfort-level with your partner. If it ends up being awkward, you can just laugh it off with your partner.

Handcuffs have always been a classic, it seems. Simple enough, they’re used to dominate your partner. And they have fuzzy ones so that it’s not so harsh on the skin. Plus, who doesn’t like something fuzzy? It’s kind of cute, and once you get past the cuteness it’s pretty sexy.

There are a million and four types of sex toys out there. And, depending on your comfort level, they can all be experimented with. I would suggest bringing up the topic with your partner before you jump in and buy something crazy (i.e. anal beads…err…weird.). You want to make sure it’s something you can enjoy on your own, but if it’s something you want to try with your partner they have to be ready for it too.

Sex toys are just fun, plain and simple. When you’re alone, they can help you through a dry spell, or immediately satisfy a sexual urge. They can spice up a boring sex life, and they can give you a chance to get to another level of comfort and sexual desire with your partner. Why not give them a try?