Thanks, you've been a great crowd

Farewell to everyone leaving for break, and I hope all your finals were wonderful and easy. Your regular webmaster will soon be back, so this is my last post for the time being--you'll be back to Nate's posts in no time.

Have a great break, everyone! It's been a slice...

So...cold...

Ladies and gentlemen, it is way way way way way way way way way way way way too cold outside. I'm really sorry about that, but I have changed the photo at upper far right to make you guys feel better, and the one in this post is intended as a warning. For those of us who won't be heading home for break (myself included), SGA would like you to know about some winter break boredom busters, our little way of saying "don't go outside or you'll get frostbite and your face will fall off":

All Week:
Movie Rentals and Wii in the Lion's Pause
12-2:00 PM and 4:30-6:30 PM

Movies:
North by Northwest, Monty Python's Meaning of Life, Shoot 'Em Up, 2001: A Space Odyssey
Dates and times TBA, Viking Theater. Sponsored by SAC.

Thursday 31st:
Energy Forum with David Bly
Learn about new energy laws and exchange ideas with Bly and residents of Minnesota House District 25B. 5:30-8:00 PM, Valhalla Room

Saturday 3rd:
Super Bowl Party!
Enjoy free food and watch the Super Bowl on the big screen. 3 PM, Lion's Pause. Sponsored by the Pause.

Tuesday 5th:
Caucus Information Party
Free pizza and information on how to caucus, followed by rides to and from the Democratic and Republican caucuses. Sponsored by PAC.

Only half of those things relate to politics, so there's something for everyone!

In other news I consider relevant, a surprise new episode of House airs tonight at 8 PM on Fox, with guest star Janel Moloney, who played Donna on The West Wing. Do you need any more reasons to take a study break?

Good luck on finals!

The Alumnus Among Us

Yes, I know that title doesn't really work because there are more than one alumni, but if you think I'm going to pass up a title that good, you're the crazy one.

There are a couple of alumni events this week you can all check out--Hannah Braasch '07 will be the musical director for a production of the opera The Bewitched Children, which will be showing at 8:15 tonight in Urness recital hall. In addition, four alumni (class of '07) will be showing their art projects that were selected in a competition until February 8th in Dittman. Take some time out from your busy finals schedule (c'mon, you've only got one class) and check it out.

I see on the Oleville weather report that we've cracked the low 20's, so get out there and enjoy that balmy weather!

Become a Global Citizen...wait, huh?

Tomorrow at 7:00 PM Professor Larry Rasmussen (the striking and thoughtful gent to the right) will give a lecture in Viking theater entitled "Is Global Community Possible?". The lecture will examine the concept of globalization, and address exactly what the college's theme of Global Citizenship means (for example, citizenship to what?). It's free and open to the public--come expand your mind, and clear some stuff up.

If you want more or more articulate info, here's the link to the story on the St. Olaf website.

In other news, this message from your mother just came in: It's cold outside. Bundle up or you'll catch cold. Don't make me say I told you so.

Going Through the Motions

Lip syncing is the great equalizer; anyone can unleash their inner rock star without being held back by trifling concerns such as not being able to carry a tune in a backpack. We've all done it, so why not earn some money and respect for it? The SAC is holding a lip sync contest this Wednesday in the Pause at 8 pm--contenders can email holme@stolaf.edu or sign up at the Student Activities Office for a shot at glory and fabulous prizes ($100, $75, and $50 for first, second, and third place). Just burn a copy of the song you want to sync to, and let the synchronized games begin (for added irony points, try an Ashlee Simpson or Milli Vanilli song).

Focus In

On January 15-16th, St. Olaf will host Focus the Nation, a national teach-in on global warming. The event kicks off with the keynote speaker, David Orr, on Tuesday night, and Wednesday will be an entire day of seminars led by all your favorite teachers, culminating with Will Steger's address on Wednesday night and an after-event dance.

Feel free to drop in on any of the seminars--find out which are when with the schedule of events, which also includes a bio of the two main speakers.

In other news, you may have noticed some cosmetic adjustments to Oleville--bear with us, we'll be tweaking some stuff off and on. If there's something not working or you have a suggestion, drop the Webmaster a line.

See you all at Focus the Nation!

Calend-O-Rama

The SGA Calendar is back up and running, as you can see on the right side of Oleville. Check back here to get all your times and dates straight (we're still in the process of entering them all in there), or, for those of you with Gmail who use Google Calendars, you can easily subscribe to the SGA Calendar and have those events appear right next to your own appointments. Just log into Google Calendars, click "Add" on the left side, click "Add a public calendar", and search for "st. olaf sga". Click the appropriate search result to subscribe. It's the miracle of technology, without any killer robots from the future!

Speaking of calendars everyone wants a piece of, watch for the 2008 St. Olaf Hot Bods of Student Government Swimsuit Calendar, in stores soon. Don't miss it!

We Who Are About to Rock Salute You

You all know the feeling--the indescribable sense that you were not born or meant for this world, that your world is a world of mighty rock gods and goddesses, belting solos to shake the very rafters of Valhalla and drinking deep from the cup of rock victory.

Well, your time in this dull worldly realm is nearly at an end. This Wednesday you are invited to transcend to a higher plane of rock and shake loose the shackles of mediocrity at the Guitar Hero Tournament being held in the Pause from 8-11 PM. Raise high your goblet of rock and compete for a chance to win fabulous prizes such as a $100 or $50 Target gift card. Even noncompetitors ("mortals") are welcome to rockupy their time watching, waiting for that one perfect facemelter everyone has inside them somewhere, or at least for someone to five-star that Dragonforce song on Expert. No prior sign-up is required.

Once again, that's Wednesday, January 9th, from 8-11 PM in the Pause. Carpe rockem, and we'll see you on Wednesday.

Primaries, Primarily

This Interim twenty Olaf students will be blogging for the Star-Tribune about New Hampshire and South Carolina political races as primaries approach. The students are spending their Interims helping out with a variety of campaigns and are sharing their thoughts via the miracle of the World Wide Web.



Read more from St. Olaf College News here, or read the blogs themselves at http://nc.startribune.com/blogs/oles/.

Welcome Back, Students, Faculty, and Squirrels

...from all of us here at SGA, and our capable, good-looking Interim proxies. Here's hoping this J-term is as relaxing and fun as possible.

Oleville is back up and running, so be sure to check in frequently for all the news you've come to love and crave, starting with the update that's about to appear above this one.

Have a good one!