I have to come clean here.  I freaking hate Thanksgiving turkey.  Okay, just to be clear, I like turkey, I really do, but I hate Thanksgiving turkey.  Why, you ask.  Well, I’ll tell you why.  I don’t have a single relative who can properly cook a turkey.  Sorry relatives who will remain nameless, but it’s true.  The best I ever seem to get is some mildly flavored turkey leather which I douse in gravy, hoping it will provide enough lubrication to slide down my gullet and possibly digest, but the next morning always proves me wrong on that count.

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I came across your article on Jeff McKee while looking for other unrelated news. This information is probably not relevant anymore but I figure it will help clear some things up. It is long winded but it may shed some light on what happened to get McKee impeached.

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In honor of the wonderful upswing in Wisconsin weather, we’re going to heat things up in the kitchen this week and try some southern flavor.  I recently had the privilege of visiting the great state of Texas, and I have a bone to pick.  Not once was I taken to a barbeque restaurant.  I’m not usually one to complain about free food, but when I think Texas, I think barbeque. 

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The UW System has hired a consulting firm named RPA, Inc. to aid the university in diversifying the pool of candidates, said Abby Tollefson, a student member of the UWSP search and screen committee. She was chosen by student government as one of two student representatives on the committee.   View full story >

Two weeks ago new state legislation was passed allowing young adults to be able to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until the age of 27.

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Oh crap.  We are once again immersed in what we have previously labeled, “the big sad time.”  A time of sorrow, a time of reflection, a time when we say, “WTF! Packers.  Get your act together and quit destroying every advantage you get in a game.”  Next week, we head to Tampa Bay and take on the 0-7 Buccaneers.

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I am a student at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and an active member of the statewide student association, United Council of UW Students.  I am writing to inform readers about a bill that would ensure a more geographically diverse Board of Regents, and I urge UW students to contact their state representatives to encourage them to vote in favor of this legislation.    View full story >

Chances are at this point in the school year, you’re busy wrapping up semester-long projects and cramming for tests.  For many college students this is also the time of year when funds are starting to dwindle.  For those with loans, funds most likely will have to last until January when another semester begins.  For those graduating in December and who are still searching for a job, your savings may have to last even longer.  So just how do you stretch your money out over the next couple of months, especially when the holidays are right around the corner?

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On Tuesday, Nov. 3, residents of Stevens Point will vote on a referendum for the Stevens Point Area School District.  This referendum will determine whether or not the district can raise additional funding by increasing tax revenues.  If it fails, the district will undertake cost-cutting measures.  Among the measures recommended by the district superintendent are eliminating elementary school band, chorus and orchestra, eliminating all K-8 activities and interscholastic athletics and letting go of 15 elementary and 27 secondary teachers. 

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Just last year there was some debate on campus as to what was going to happen with parking lot R, the parking lot directly in front of the Dreyfus University Center. The major discussion was whether the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point should expand the parking lot or conserve the “green space” that existed. Well, clearly, UWSP opted for the former.

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If you think this past summer was hot, you should probably talk to College of Natural Resources students Andrew VanNatta and Scott Reilly, who spent their summer in India as Global Environmental Managment student ambassadors in 100 plus degree heat most of the summer. The two students were on hand Tuesday, Nov. 11 to give a presentation of their experience this summer as student ambassadors in India.VanNatta and Reilly spent 12 weeks working with the Indian non-governmental organization Foundation for Ecological Security. They helped develop a plan for resource assessment and a resource management plan in a watershed near Bhilwara Rajasthan, India. The students traveled to remote villages and learned how FES is helping communities reclaim battered landscapes and build sustainable livelihoods.

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Who would have thought that the story of the week last week would be about a balloon? Not me, that’s for sure. I would have thought the story of the week would have been about health care, Afghanistan or even about Octomom popping out another litter. Instead we were subjected to a story about a boy who was supposedly inside an experimental balloon 5000 feet above the ground. The best part about it was the entire story was a fake.

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A  small  butterfly, a big festival.  This weekend, about 100 people gathered at the Little Plover River Fisheries Area for the Karner Blue Rendezvous sponsored by the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Society of Ecological Restoration.  The Karner Blue butterfly, which is about the size of a nickel, is a federally endangered species. 

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In regard to the recent article, “Women’s Resource Center provides help To sexual assault victims,” the Women’s Resource Center would like to clear up a few misconceptions. The article was accurate, but it was also misleading, specifically in the introduction when stranger-rape is employed as an example of a campus rape scenario. While stranger-rape does occur, it is far less common than acquaintance-rape or date-rape.

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 As states have cut budgets and federal need based aid has stagnated over the past several decades, students and families from working class and middle incomes are struggling to pay for college.  The Pell Grant currently serves close to 7 million students in helping them pay for college, but in a fairly limited way. Lackluster federal investment in the Pell Grant has undercut its impact; in 1977, the Pell grant covered 77% of the total cost of attendance but now it only covers 35%.  Now, qualified students of modest means are dropping out of the college application process by the hundreds of thousands each year.  Those who do decide to attend are overly-reliant on student loans to pay for their degree, and are graduating with more debt than average. University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point students graduate with an average of $17,494 of debt.   View full story >

When I attended Communication 101 lecture last year, that slothful rumble of a voice lulled me into a holy sleep.  I always looked forward to getting up early and eagerly finding a front seat in that heavenly coliseum.  I couldn’t have been the only one who had trouble sleeping the night before because I was so excited to hear Professor Davidson’s lecture.  It was like waiting for Christmas!   View full story >

Between classes, homework, sport practices, club meetings and social lives, squeezing in room for a job can be difficult which is why most students work on a very part time basis, if at all, while in college.  Whether you’ve opted not to work during the school year or you have a part-time job, learning how to live on less will greatly improve your college experience. 

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No recipe this week.  After Monday, which will now be referred to as “The Big Sad Time,” I didn’t really feel like cooking anything in honor of football.  Instead, we’re going to visit a happy time,  a time of hope and inspiration, that came before “The Big Sad Time.”  The time I ate Todd’s burger.

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On Monday, Sept. 21, the Human Life Alliance, a pro-life organization, asked The Pointer to include a 12-page, pro-life informational insert in its publication.  The editorial and managerial staff of The Pointer decided not to include this insert.  This decision was made in accordance with The Pointer’s policy of not running paid advertisements from either Pro-life or Pro-choice groups.  Other college media in Wisconsin and across the country adhere to similar policies.   View full story >

Most of us woke up Monday morning hoping our extended bout of mild fall weather would continue until March when spring took over.  Clearly someone was beginning to sense our comfort with the weather situation.  Most of us woke up shivering as we felt the effects of the cold front brought in at 50 mph. 

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The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student run radio station, 90FM, has advanced to be one of the top 25 radio stations in the running for a mtvU Woodie Award. 

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Last year I felt bad for Elizabeth Debot.  Her name was being belched and cursed from the majority of the campus population.  Perhaps the sign should have read, “The Chartwells Experience.”  This year Chartwells is gone, along with much of the belly-aching over bellyaches.  University Dining Services will now provide the food at Debot (and other places) and they’re promising a healthier, fresher selection.  UDS is also employing many students  as members of the dining staff.

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Thanks for your story on the student group working with the Invisible Children organization.  Unfortunately, either the reporter or the student group Invisible Children seem to have some of their facts wrong.  The civil war and presence of Joseph Kony’s rebels ended over two years ago in Uganda.  There is no active fighting here, although Kony remains active in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central Africa Republic where he continues to terrorize the local populations and is causing massive displacement.  There is still much work to be done here in Uganda to reintegrate ex-child soldiers and rebuild communities, but to portray this as an active war is misleading. In fact, attention now also needs to be paid to the countries where Kony is active.

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For better or worse, it is now trendy to be green. One can purchase a “live green” t-shirt from a local department store that was really manufactured in a sweat shop somewhere in Cambodia, then shipped thousands of miles to find its way to some local clearance rack. Simply put, this is completely antithetical to the meaning of eco-friendly or sustainable.  So how is this relevant to life on campus?
The University of Wisconsin –Stevens Point has a long-standing tradition of natural resource studies and has taken pride in the implementation of environmentally friendly programs. In 2006, Governor Doyle enrolled UWSP in a pilot energy independence project with the target goal of making the campus completely energy independent.   View full story >

“So, what food is on tap for you this week,” asked Steve?

“Probably something with beer as an ingredient since we play St. Louis this week,” answered Jake.

“Well everyone loves beer dip. There’s got to be something new to do with that old standby.”

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Considering the incentives and lower costs that the public option will provide, there will certainly be more than 5% of Americans signing up for the public option. This is when President Obama’s premium option becomes unattainable due to Moral Hazard. What Moral Hazard is this – protecting people against risks reduces the care people exercise in avoiding those risks. For example, when people have coverage for medical costs, people will inevitably spend more on healthcare.

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I am disappointed with John Lee’s “economic evaluation” of the President’s health care reform program (The Economic Pitfalls of Obamacare, 9.17.09) John Lee ignored the 46 million uninsured, 25 million underinsured (2007 statistic in Schoen et al, Health Affairs, 2008) and the preposterous rise in healthcare costs – all under the auspices of private business.

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The World Series is just over a month away, and regular season football has just started.  What does this mean for you?  Amazing tailgating and game food is a must.

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There are some things that are just sad: that commercial featuring abused animals and the Sarah McLachlan song, for example, or that person you talked to out of pity one day who texts you twelve times an hour with such deep questions as “wat r u doin” (with a question mark only if you’re really lucky). Then, of course, there’s the contraction that, by no fault of its own, is missing its apostrophe.

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When President Bill Clinton’s healthcare reform initiative failed in 1994, (with the exception of a small handful of individuals), any mention of healthcare reform was unheard of from either the Democratic or Republican parties since then, until now.  Some of the actors in this healthcare debate may have changed but the script certainly hasn’t.  Familiar battle lines have been drawn and both sides have fired numerous volleys at each other.  The need to reform healthcare is undeniable. 

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A new school year is upon us, and big changes are happening to students everywhere.  For some of us, it’s the first time away from home.  For those of us returning, we are living on our own for the first time and no longer have a state-designed meal plan or mom’s home-cooking. 

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Well guys, here is your final installment of your very own step-by-step guide to dressing for success.

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Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the spring 2009 graduating class of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

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It is of my deepest regrets to tell you, I, Lady V, will not be returning next school year.

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The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the Milwaukee Brewers are back on the ball field. It must be spring. More importantly, it means the end of the school year is near. And for many of us, the time has finally come where we can say “goodbye, ciao, auf wiedersehen, we are outta here.”

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Well friends, it’s here. The end of another school year and an era is upon us as this is the last edition of High Five to grace the pages of “The Pointer.” In a very short time I will evolve from a mere University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student into a vaunted and respected alumnus. It is a bittersweet occasion to be sure.

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We as food service employees wonder why the three men who work in the recycling department can steal so much from the food service and we never see it in “The Pointer.” We are now losing our jobs and these guys stole thousands of dollars worth of things and we never heard about it.

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After a five-year run, it’s time for me to end “Rabble Rousers” and “Little Cynics” and graduate. I started “Rabble Rousers” (then “Resident’s EviL”) in the Fall of 2004 and became Comics Editor the next year. I haven’t missed a week of “The Pointer” since. Five years and a changed double-major later, I still don’t want it to end.

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There is something huge happening right now on the UW-SP campus of which students must be made aware. The prime vendor food contract is currently being rewritten for the next three (up to six) years. This is the perfect opportunity for students to jump onto the sustainability train.

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As an alumnus and former academic staff member of the UW-SP community for 26 years, I am appalled at Chancellor Bunnell’s behavior and seemingly irresponsible fiscal management at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.

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As the school year comes to an end, the university food service self-operation is just getting started.

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By the power of Grayskull, we made it through another year of Trivia! I could have sworn half the campus was sleepwalking on Monday, including yours truly! I am sure you remember that I refused to align my trivial mind with any one team, but I did stay awake for the duration of the contest as a show of support for those who did.

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It feels so good to be back with all of you after my two-week sabbatical. Returning to the pages of “The Pointer” is like putting on a warm dryer-fresh pair of sexy pants. I hope you’ve all managed without me while I was out traversing the country, collecting research for my new project.

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Since you shared some of your confusions about the opposite sex, let me share some of mine. (Continued from last week)

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I am writing this letter concerning the use of bicycles on and around campus. I am currently a member of a group that believes that this is a valuable asset that students don’t take advantage of while going to college here at UW-SP.

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Dear Lady V - After reading your article in “The Pointer,” I thought I would try to help give you some answers to your queries concerning the male gender.   View full story >

As a UW-SP grad who happily made Point home for myself and my family, how sad it was to read the Feb. 17, 2009, Madison Police Report about UW-SP Chancellor Bunnell’s hit-and-run at 6:31 p.m.   View full story >

I have a little problem that I’d like to deal with right here. Do you know what the problem is? Well, you should because all of you are the problem!

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Dear Editor: May I ask you a few questions? Why are the school computers so slow? Why is my foot asleep? Why are bananas yellow? What is a banana? Are you a lumberjack if you do not have a beard? What do you do with a penis cake pan?

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After reading the March 12 publication of The Pointer, I have lost appreciation for this school.   View full story >

I am writing this letter to the editor to inform UW-SP students who may not know about the involvement of the SGA vice presidential candidate Kelly Krumsee with the Pointers for Life Cemetery of Innocents cross demonstration last spring.   View full story >

Greetings fair maidens and merry men! I trust you all had a most enjoyable spring break and have returned to campus refreshed and excited about the final weeks of the semester.   View full story >

Friends, I’ve heard a rumor about myself circulating, and I would like to set the record straight.   View full story >

My beef with the female sex is that there are tons of sexual etiquette rules that are not told to most men.   View full story >

When winter acts like it is supposed to, in contrast to unseasonable warmth, the last thing I see is chaos. And what good is any of this complaining about the cold and snow doing us anyway, except for maybe confirming our disconnection with the land. If we can find the strength, let us all slow down a little, get a little closer to the Earth, be quiet and rejoice.

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I have worked at UW-SP for lots and lots of years and this just makes me sick to my stomach that with the times as hard as they are that Chartwells can do this.

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After seeing a slide show on Glamour.com entitled, “11 Things Guys Don’t Understand About Women,” I began to think about things I don’t understand about men.

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The rebirth of the popular DC Comics character Vigilante continues this month with the second issue of this new series.   View full story >

That’s it; I am joining the circus. In case you have not been to the circus, the events either take place inside (under the big top) or outside in more tropical-type temperatures.   View full story >

I would like to address something on my mind today. It’s an issue of parking.

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Okay, so we all have at least one. If you are lucky, depending on how you want to look at it, you have quite a few.   View full story >

Holy wow, friends! Do you realize what you hold in your hands? Can you feel the winds of change blowing from within these very pages? Yes, you are holding your first all-digital copy of “The Pointer!”   View full story >

With Valentine’s Day just days away, concerned parties are gearing up for the commercial holiday and all of its cutesy-wootsy creations.

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Students, consider answering the Peace Corps’ call to service.

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I’m a single 19-year-old guy who has been at UW-SP for two years now and I haven’t met anyone. I know that this is partly my fault;

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Can you smell that dear readers? That’s the sweet smell of romance permeating the campus, accompanied by the harmonious strains of sweet vocal harmonies.

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The jury’s still out on whether the job market is going to stabilize, but one thing is certain: Employers are putting the brakes on hiring; for all of us that are due to graduate this May, this is not good news.

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Not too many things grind my gears, but after reading the “Best of” feature of “The Pointer” last week, I was angrier than Peter Griffin being teased by Lindsey Lohan. I feel that several entries should be replaced with some local joints that deserve everyone’s attention.

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Let’s hear it for The Best of Point! I’ve heard all of you asking why my words were absent from last week, and I am pleased to tell you that I dedicated my precious column inches to the greater good of informing all of you about the fabulous opportunities available in this fine community. I apologize to those of you who missed me, but it was for the greater good.

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If you have a sick mind as horribly as I do, you know what I mean when I say it’s a curse. You find sexual references and innuendos in EVERYTHING!

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Hello again to all my friends! How was your break? Full of excitement and new adventures? I know mine was! I’ve come to grips with the loss of our December graduate friends and their smiling faces. After all, we do have a few new friends on campus now, and I look forward to teaching each and every one of you the secret Pointer handshake! I’ve missed you all and couldn’t be more pleased to be back.

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Wow, is it the end of the semester already? So many of my new friends are graduating! I’m excited for all of you, but I can’t say I won’t miss your smiling faces! It’s also exciting to know that at the end of January, I’ll be gaining some new friends, too. It’s all part of the great academic circle of life.

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Well uys, here is your final installment of your very own step-by-step guide to dressing for success.

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Shopping smart on a budget is not as hard as one might think, and it gets even easier when you know what you need in your closet. Hopefully you did not get measured before Thanksgiving dinner. If you did, wait until you can button the pants you’re wearing and then head out shopping.

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The semester is almost over and yet it seems that the end could not come soon enough. Between the tests, research projects and cold weather, I am ready to lounge around and catch up on my favorite televisions shows while scrapbooking. (Yes, I scrapbook, and you should too!)

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Welcome back, my friends! Have you missed me since we last had time together? I have sure missed all of you! It feels like it’s been an eternity! I have so much to tell you about! Right away I’d like to congratulate my dear friend Jacob Mathias on finding Alfonse the Wish Turkey. I’d love to tell you all about his three wishes but obviously that would cause them to come true. Far be it from me to come between a man and the fulfillment of his lifelong wish for his own pony.

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Let’s start with play clothes, since they are the easiest. Everything that you normally wear to class can be considered “play clothes.” Even though you get compliments and can wear them to a nice restaurant in Stevens Point, you need to realize that these clothes are not appropriate in the workplace at all.

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Happy Thanksgiving dear readers! It is of course of paramount importance that I wish one of you the greatest day of thanks possible. By this time next week many of us might be moving a bit slower after generous portions of scrumptious delights. I know I, for one, am looking forward to slipping on my holiday stretchy pants!

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I cannot count the number of times I’ve been honked at, or worse, almost hit by a car while crossing this intersection.

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I am writing to encourage students and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to embrace the Great American Smokeout next Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008. The first Great American Smokeout was in 1976 and since then, has inspired smokers nationwide to quit for at least one day. Now, the American Cancer Society encourages smokers to not just quit for the day, but choose Nov. 20 this year as their quit date – for good.

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I apologize if I come off a bit irritable between now and the end of the month, though I hardly think you can blame me. You wouldn’t be your normal cheerful self either if you were trying to keep yourself from scratching profusely.

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Well guys, here is where things get interesting. If you have made it this far in life, you undoubtedly have gone through a lot of shit and a lot of stressful things. Unfortunately, we will always have things in our lives that are less than desirable and very stressful.

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The election results are in, and it is not even December yet. I know you are all as excited about this as I am. No more negative campaign advertisements, no more automated phone calls and, best of all, friends can be friends again without worry of offending each other because they supported opposing candidates.

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Do you hear that, my friends? Listen closely. What is that beautiful silence? That’s the sound of the absence of political ads on the airwaves! As much as I love a good election, I can’t tell you how happy I am to get back to ad spots about things that people really care about, like beer, cat food and erectile dysfunction medications. God bless America!

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A friend of mine has been a victim of a quickly growing prank that men play on unsuspecting women. It is what they call “hogging.” I only know about this because I have heard some of my guy friends talk about what their friends are doing. It is a sad and pathetic prank that ladies need to watch out for.

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Please, at the very least, for the sake of your comfort, do not feel obligated to dress suggestively just for the sake of attracting a man. If someone walks by you and you feel the breeze in places you did not know you had, chances are you do not have enough clothing on.

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I often find myself asking, “Why am I trying to learn this? When am I ever going to use this again besides to pass the damn exam? Ooh, that boy is real cute... I wonder how I can shove myself into his life. What projectiles do I have with me...?”

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With tomorrow officially being Halloween, I know one thing is on the minds of a great many of you. You’re in that desperate mad rush to figure out that fabulous costume idea so you won’t be stuck throwing on your blaze orange again and saying you’re a hunter.   View full story >

I really hope something will be done about this inconsequential and meaningless ordinance, so officials can make some cash on the side, while those who really need the money are cheated by the one institution that is supposed to protect and prevent monarchist-type laws coming into affect and hurting citizens.

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Everybody is kinky.

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I have a bit of sad news this week, I’m afraid, dear readers. My car, the Volkswagen Golf that became the envy of so many of you back when our friendship was just budding, went to that great used car lot in the sky this week.   View full story >

What makes a great secret handshake? How many steps should it include? Will there be different handshakes for different occasions? These are all issues that we must consider if our handshake is going to be as glorious as possible

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Let me tell you a story about a dear friend of mine named Nick. We’ll call him Nick Money both to protect his identity and to increase his street credibility.

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Why does it seem that many of today’s gadgets are geared toward men?

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Though our generation has only had a few elections to vote for, this is nonetheless the most crucial time for our voices to be heard.

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It has been crazy these past few weeks, and we have been registering people like mad, but there is still much more to do!

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Saturday is National Coming Out Day – and I’d like to honor that event by sharing my own coming out story as the young gay grandson of a preacher man.

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... I just cannot wrap my brain around why people get so excited to see someone that they begin to convulse and even cry. What baffled me so much was that I saw one girl literally in a complete meltdown.

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