On Friday, November 21, 2008 the Vice President for Multicultural Affairs of the Binghamton University Student Association, Maryam Belly, held a meeting in the office of the Rainbow Pride Union to raise awareness of recent developments regarding her position. About forty-five people attended the event, including the Student Association Executive Board, Student Assembly Representatives, and members of the executive boards for several different on-campus cultural and student groups.

The Old Man Mad about Drawing: A Tale of Hokusai by François Place, translated by William Rodarmor, is a children's picture book which goes well beyond the stereotype of a children’s picture book. There are pictures, but they're all full color pictures of classic images painted by Hokusai, the famous Japanese artist. The book itself is written in a simple but detailed style, making it an easy and still fascinating read for children. The Old Man Mad about Drawing is a fictional story about Tojiro, better known as “Little Sparrow,” who apprentices under Hokusai, an old master artist and printmaker (most of the historical Hokusai’s best work was done when he was over sixty years old.) Over the course of the book Hokusai recounts his past to Tojiro as he teaches the young student in his craft, while teaching the reader about the factual life of Hokusai.

News Director Robert Glass interviews Carlo D'Este on his new book, "Warlord: A Life of Winston Churchill as War." They also discuss Churchill's background, achievements in life and other details from his life.

Surely the mark of a bad movie is thinking that two or four hours have elapsed when you’ve only been sitting there for one, continually checking your phone to see when this torture will stop and you can finally escape back into your real life. A life which suddenly seems fascinating and engaging by comparison to the slop unfolding before you on screen. I can honestly say that I’ve only experienced this at the theater a bare handful of times, but after tonight I can add another movie to that small list: Twilight.

Twilight is the big screen adaptation of the first book of the grossly popular teen vampire romance series of the same name. I will confess outright: I have read all the books in the Twilight series and enjoyed them. They entertained me. There was no literary merit to any of them, but I liked them. It’s like watching a sitcom instead of C-Span, sometimes it’s nice to have a little mindless entertainment in your life. The books fulfilled that need for me. Unfortunately, the movie channeled the mindlessness of the books and little else, making this an utterly painful experience in almost every way.

With the recent downturn in the American economy, it may seem as though the issue of healthcare in the United States has been pushed aside, but that is not so. The problems with health care are a symptom of premiums increasing over the last two decades at a rate much faster than general economic growth. This has been a major factor in the economic hardship many Americans face. Therefore, it is important to look closely at the state of the United States' health care system.
So just how much of a problem has the price of family health care become? According to the report issued by Families USA, the average premium, nationally, has increased from $6,772 to $12,075 between 2000 and 2007. That means that health care premiums have risen by $5,300 or 78.3 percent over the span of seven years. In contrast with this, median workers' earnings have only increased from $25,024 in 2000 to $28,640 in 2007, only 14.5 percent. Comparatively speaking, health care premiums have increased 5.4 times faster than earnings did.

The Binghamton Music Department held a concert Sunday, November 17 in the Osterhout Concert Theater. The concert was titled Hail Brittania! Three Centuries of English Choral Music. Performed by the University Chorus, in conjunction with members of the Binghamton Community Orchestra and the University Symphony, the choir performed six songs from composers dating back to the 16th century. All the works were Christian themed. Pieces included Hosanna to the Son of David by Thomas Weelkes (c1575-1623), I will Not Leave You Comfortless by William Byrd (c1540-1623), Five Mystical Songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), Lay A Garland by Robert Lucas Pearsall (1795-1856), My Soul, There is a Country by Charles Hubert Parry (1848-1918), and Requiem by John Rutter (b.1945).

Tonight the Student Assembly Rules Committee, chaired by Mary Leonardo, had on their agenda a constitutional amendment to abolish the Student Association Vice President for Multicultural Affairs. The amendment, authored by Adam Shamah, was brought before the committee to check the constitutionality of the amendment before it is introduced to the Student Assembly on next Monday, November 24, 2008. Sponsors for the amendment will be found and added prior to that meeting.

Currently the VPMA is responsible for chairing the Intercultural Awareness Committee, a sub body of the Student Group Council, shall work to coordinate events and activities of all cultural groups chartered on campus, and shall oversee the Student Association in that the SA follows all affirmative action guidelines.

The next step for the amendment is to be proposed to the Assembly, where it will need a 2/3 majority to pass. Following the possible passage of this amendment in that body, it will require a 2/3 majority in a campus wide referendum.

"Cat, What Is That?" by Tony Johnston is a wonderful collection of verse exploring what it means to be a cat. Instead of exploring what a cat is through physical traits (ears, size, fur color) Tony Johnston takes an abstract approach. Cats represent many different things to him because cats have such distinct personalities. He uses words like “slink,” “dance,” “roar,” and “pounce,” to describe how a cat moves and words like “fat,” “spy,” and “jowl” to describe how a cat looks. This book is especially unique because not only do his words describe how a cat moves, looks, or acts, but they are also descriptions of what a cat can represent. Some of the references in this book are too adult for young children to understand, such as the line “It is a sphinx.” More importantly, the sounds of the words invoke particular feelings of awe and curiosity, which are akin to the attitude of most young children. Of course, this book would not be the wonderful little piece of literature it is without the simple paintings of cats by Wendell Moor. His paintings help illustrate the Johnston’s words.

      The California Grill is a healthy serving of a little vacation for anyone in the Tri-cities area.  Located at 912 Vestal Parkway East, it's right on the parkway which offers easy access for anyone in the Broome County area, be they student or resident.  The California Grill has a bright, sunny atmosphere and is a great place for friends or families to relax and grab a delicious meal with authentic burritos, fish tacos, and Hawaiian pizza for people who want west coat flavor, but delicious ribs, great burgers and a wide menu for people who want less 'exotic' food.

      Inside, the Grill is decorated with tranquil tropic colors and beach themed memorabilia.  Along with a lovely mural of a west coast sunset, the California Grill has subtle touches which add to its appealing character.  The bar sports vintage looking neon lights, the salt and pepper shakers are emptied Corona bottles and there are a few televisions (just enough so you can check out the latest game, without there being so many as to distract from the dining experience) hanging discretely from the ceiling playing news and sports.

Bed Bugs have become a nation-wide problem in the past forty years, with the bed bug population exploding across the United States, along with the number of lawsuits related to infestations. The most recent bed bug settlement was a lawsuit against a hotel in Florida, which was forced to pay out over seventy thousand dollars to a patron who was bitten during her stay. Now, this growing problem has spread to a local Binghamton area laundromat.