Monday, May 01, 2006

Cover, MAY 06



by AMY CHOU, cover artist.

Exclusives, MAY 06

CHILD SLAVERY - African Cocoa Farms
by NOOSHIN SHABANI, guest writer

Over 240,000 children have been sold as slaves in West Africa to work on coffee, cocoa, and cotton plantations. 15,000 of these children are aged between 9-12. While our children get an education, the children that we have forgotten about can only dream of such opportunities. They don’t get the luxury of education. Instead, they get a tortured life of abuse and daily beatings. This is their payment so that you can have your Mars bar.



COACHELLA - The Spirit of Woodstock Lives
by GILAD CHUDLER, staff writer


It’s difficult to describe what a day at Coachella is like, and pictures hardly do it justice. Electricity, aura, energy, vibe; whatever you want to call it -- there is something special in the air at Coachella. When you pull into the parking lot you can already hear the first bands of the day starting their sets. Anticipation is painted on everybody’s face as they eagerly make their way across the field in the beating sun towards the entrance.





McCLELLAN - Giving up a Tough Job
The United States Press Secretary Resigns
by SIMONE KUSSATZ, senior global correspondent

One of McClellan’s huge tasks as press secretary has been to apply diplomacy. Another issue that was discussed during that Monday afternoon on April 17, 2006 was the presence of homosexual couples with their adoptive children during the White House Easter Egg Roll. For this reason, McClellan was asked if the White House would welcome all sexual orientations to participate in the Easter Egg Roll next year.

Features, MAY 06

NORWAY - Do You Know the Way to Norway?
semester@sea.wldy
by ALEX BUDAK, staff columnist

I was constantly amused by the Norwegian fascination with American culture, the pinnacle of which occurred when I wandered into a shop that must be Norway’s version of Abercrombie. In the store – which was blasting Maroon 5 and Ludacris – were t-shirts with American sayings that I couldn’t help but wonder about.

Probably my favorite was a ¾-length shirt that boldly said “SOUTH COUNTY RHODE ISLAND” on it. What Rhode Islander would have enough state pride (or county pride, for that matter) to wear a shirt proudly displaying that they are from the smallest state in the union? Fear not, Rhode Islanders, there are Norwegian teens reppin’ for your state (and if you’re lucky enough to be from southern Rhode Island, your county as well).


AMERICA - This
Columbia, New York
by RYAN JOE, staff columnist


I've just enrolled at the ol' MFA program at Columbia and I'm getting pretty cynical.

Mike, back in New Orleans, pointed out to me that these MFA programs really are a bit of a scam. Consider that medical school costs an arm, leg and left nut because, in the end, the school must fund chemicals and all those shiny stainless steel implements used for dissecting cadavers (which also cost money).

What do MFA programs need? A photocopier. So in charging a lot of money to attend these programs, a university takes little risk but reaps big dividends.