Western Courier

Travel around the neighborhoods and one thing becomes perfectly clear: Blake Antonides and Jessie Kallman are running for the Board of Trustees in the current student election. Their purple and gold signs dot yards and wave from the side of buildings. These signs extol the candidates' merits, but there has been an underlying ugliness that has pervaded the BOT campaign.… 1 Comment

Too often, college students are labeled as lazy drunks who are only interested in partying. This pisses me off because there are people with careers who party just as hard. The justification seems to be that life is harder for the working men and women, so they are allowed to behave this way.… Post the First Comment

I was sitting in a chair, eating honey- roasted peanuts and drinking a tall, cool Natural Light with Marty McFly and Dr. Emmit Brown discussing the future of this great country in light of the upcoming presidential elections. Will the Democrats fight like schoolchildren to get on the merry-go-round ride that will only leave them dazed and confused, paving the way for hero John McCain (and, yes, he is a hero) to take the Oval Office? That was the question that sparked the debate and led my mind to even more important philosophical questions, most notably those of fiscal discipline, public debt, deficits and where does or should our government stand on these issues? As the Democrats' talking points consistently bring up the apparently noble idea (mind my cynicism) of universal health care in light of our current crisis - the fact that this country's national debt is at an astounding $9 trillion - we must ask ourselves if the government should take on more responsibility and if it is even capable.… 6 Comments

I read recently that the WIU Board of Trustees voted March 7 to increase all costs by a little over 7 percent.… Post the First Comment

Back in Dec., I wrote a letter regarding the fight to keep the "Westerwinds" name.… 3 Comments

Here we are, well into the current console cycle. Many people have ditched their PS2s and GameCubes in favor of the new models. When you play games like "Halo 3," "Assassin's Creed" or "Drake's Fortune," you look at the screen and say "Ooh! Purdy!" But as LucasArts pointed out, regarding their new shooter "Fracture," we have next-gen graphics, but what about next-gen game play? "Fracture," due to appear on the PS3 and Xbox 360, is pushing the hardware limitations of these consoles to provide better gameplay in regard to the destructive nature of the ground under your feet.… Post the First Comment

Last Saturday, the London Daily Mail reported plans are being made to remake the 1942 box office smash "Casablanca." Rather than have the story set in French Morocco at the onset of World War II, the plot would take the remade version to Iraq. There are currently no hints of a cast, but the role of Ilsa - brilliantly played by Ingrid Bergman in the original - would be played by Madonna.… 1 Comment