• Your one stop for college news and resources!

Scott Hixson

My heroes are predominately literary figures. Some are authors. All are dead. I like to collect antiquated things. My prized possessions in this world are two typewriters and neither one of them has ink. You could say I like useless things, and you’d be right. Between my typewriters, vinyl, library of yellowing pages and English major I am, in essence, utterly useless. In a past life, I was a drop of ink on page 57 of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None.” I then became a sandy rock and I have not moved since. I often like chain-smoking because I find I would rather worry about killing time than killing myself slowly. I pretend my freckles are constellations. I’ve yet to find any discernible shapes. My teeth are too big for my head. I’m just like everybody else, but stretched out. This has led many to feel like they can criticize, as if skinny people are less conscious about their weight than obese people. I’ve had nicknames ranging from the relatively tame “Tree” to the more absurd, and frankly offensive, “Ethiopian dynamite." I got a brain tattooed on my chest to remind me to think more. It didn’t work. I’ve noticed since I reached manhood that elderly men hit on me more than any other demographic. I can’t quite figure out why. I like ghost stories though I don’t believe in the existence of ghosts. I stole yard gnomes from a neighbor’s garden when I was much younger. I thought I was part of something coined the National Gnome Liberation Front. I’m pretty sure the statute is up for that so I have no qualms. Also, they were mean neighbors. I consider the smell of old books an aphrodisiac, I think it’s the sign of a serious mental condition. I think MDMA is a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and an Oreo on top on a rainy day. Whisox!

Elin Nordegren again on the market

The Swedish-born former supermodel and ex-wife of Tiger Woods calls it quits with billionaire boyfriend Jamie Dingman

Elin Nordegren split with her billionaire boyfriend, Jamie Dingman, in January, according to a source close to the former supermodel.

Elin Nordegren, 32, is again single as the relationship she carried on with investor Jamie Dingman since last summer ended in January.

Nordegren is the ex-wife of professional golfer Tiger Woods. Their infamous 2010 divorce netted the Swedish-born former supermodel $100 million and was the result of the pro-golfer’s highly-publicized multiple affairs.

According to a friend, the reason for Nordegren’s most-recent breakup is that the mother of two was simply not prepared to take on a serious relationship after her five year marriage to Woods.

“She says Jamie’s a great guy – and they’re still friends – but I think it was just too early after the divorce for her to get serious with anyone.”

Elin Nordegren has enough to think about besides the men she has been associated with. Besides continuing her college education, studying psychology part-time, and overseeing construction of her new Palm Beach, Fla. palatial estate she is also the mother of two children – daughter Sam,4, and son Charlie, 3, with ex-husband Tiger Woods.

Michigan teen finds severed finger in Arby's roast beef

The 14-year-old said it tasted like rubber

Ryan Hart had 11 fingers for a moment – not that uncommon, of course, except that the eleventh was not on his hands but in his sandwich.

The Michigan teen took a bite of a junior roast beef sandwich at a Jackson County Arby’s when he bit down on something that tasted like rubber to him. It wasn’t rubber; it wasn’t roast beef. It was the inch-long remnant of a worker’s finger.

Ryan Hart, 14, and his mother, Jamie Vail, along with Hart’s 11-year-old brother and Vail’s friend, Joe Wheaton, had gone through the drive-thru of the Arby’s restaurant. Everything seemed in order until Hart exclaimed that he had found a piece of a finger in his sandwich.

Vail at first thought he was joking but quickly realized the severity of the situation. She dialed 911 before meeting police at an area hospital. Hart had his blood drawn at the hospital and was prescribed medication.

“I was like, ‘That (has) to be a finger. I was about to puke. . . . It was just nasty,” Hart told the Jackson Citizen Patriot on Wednesday.

The severed digit belonged to an employee of the restaurant who had been working at a meat slicer where she cut herself and left her station without telling anyone about the incident, according to Steve Hall, the environmental health director for the Jackson County health department. According to Hall, the woman’s co-workers continued to fill orders until they found out what had happened. At that time, they shut down food production and cleaned and sanitized the restaurant thoroughly.

“Somebody loses a finger, and you keep sending food out the window? I can’t believe that,” said Vail.

John Gray, a spokesman for Arby’s, made a statement on Wednesday, in which he apologized for what he called an isolated and “unfortunate incident.” According to Hall, Arby’s is investigating the incident and has fully cooperated with health officials.

Vail said she has contacted a lawyer but has not yet determined whether or not to take legal action against the Atlanta-based chain.

Solar eclipse to occur Sunday May 20

The amazing astronomical event can be witnessed by many, from east Asia to the western United States

A solar eclipse will occur Sunday May 20, causing the moon to block out all of the sun except the corona in what is known as an annular solar eclipse.

The solar eclipse ought to be visible for many across the globe, barring cloud-cover, from Asia to North America.

The event takes its name from the Latin word “annulus,” meaning “little ring.” It should not be confused with the similar but starkly different “annual” as solar eclipses are far from common, let alone annual.

The annular solar eclipse will resemble a total solar eclipse in that the transit of our moon across the evening sky will block out the vast majority of the sun, leaving only the glow of the sun’s corona viewable. The solar eclipse will cause many to witness a “ring of fire” emanating from just behind the darkened moon.

At its peak, the annular solar eclipse will block nearly 94 percent of the sun’s light from reaching earth.

Barring the cloud-cover that ruined witnessing parties across Los Angeles in January of 1992, the annular solar eclipse ought to be visible in the majority of Asian and Pacific nations and across the western coast of North America. Some parts of the U.S. and Canada will only be able to see a partial solar eclipse instead of the full “ring of fire” effect. The eclipse will not be visible for those on the eastern coast of the U.S. as the sun will have already set by the late afternoon or early evening time that the eclipse is expected to occur at. For those in North America the event will occur on May 20. Viewers in Asia can observe the phenomena on May 21. In Los Angeles, the eclipse will begin at 5:24 p.m. and end at 7:42 p.m., climaxing at 6:38 p.m. For a complete list of viewing times and locations interested parties can visit the eclipse skywatching guide.

It is important to note the danger possible from witnessing the amazing astronomical event without proper eye-protection, putting on a pair of regular sunglasses simply will not help. Witnessing a solar eclipse without eye-protection can lead to serious and permanent eye damage, including blindness. To safely witness the event, an observer can purchase special filters to fit over their telescope, or No. 14 welder’s glasses to wear over their eyes. More information on the annular solar eclipse can be found here.

Mary Kennedy dead at 52 due to asphyxiation

The estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Mary Kennedy, found dead

Mary Kennedy dead at 52. The estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was found dead Wednesday on property belonging to the family in Bedford, N.Y.

Mary Kennedy died of asphyxiation due to hanging, according to an unnamed employee of the Westchester County medical examiner’s office. The medical examiner’s office would not provide any further details regarding the manner and cause of death.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. filed for divorce from Mary Kennedy in May of 2010. The couple married in a civil ceremony in 1994 and had four children before their estrangement. The divorce was not finalized before the time of her death.

A statement from the family of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed sincere grief over the loss of Mary Kennedy: “It is with deep sadness that the family of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. mourns the loss of Mary Richardson Kennedy, wife and mother of their four beloved children. Mary inspired our family with her kindness, her love, her gentle soul and generous spirit.”

The family’s statement continued to praise Mary Kennedy, stating that she was “a tremendously gifted architect and a pioneer and relentless advocate of green design who enhanced her cutting edge, energy efficient creations with exquisite taste and style.”

Mary Kennedy was co-founder of the Food Allergy Initiative, the world’s largest private source of funding for food allergy research. She strove to advocate a cure for asthma as well.  Mary Kennedy also worked as a designer specializing in eco-friendly architecture. In a book titled “Kennedy Green House,” co-authored by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., he described how his wife helped to turn their flooded, moldy home into an environmentally-friendly residence. Kennedy also wrote that Mary Kennedy had worked on the renovation of the Naval Observatory in Washington, the official residence of the U.S. vice president, while working for the design firm Parish-Hadley.

“We deeply regret the death of our beloved sister Mary, whose radiant and creative spirit will be sorely missed by those who loved her. Our heart goes out to her children who she loved without reservation,” stated the family.

Skechers Shape-ups may not tone your butt but can fatten your wallet

Skechers settles a false advertising lawsuit to the tune of $40 million

Skechers Shape-ups will cost most than $100 a pop, but not to the consumer. Skechers has agreed to settle a false advertising lawsuit to the tune of $40 million.

Skechers Shape-ups were advertised as an easy way for overweight Americans to watch the pounds simply melt away, all while firming and toning the legs and buttocks of the consumer, essentially creating a healthier lifestyle for those who chose to wear the rather prescription-looking shoes.

But, the Federal Trade Commission has said that the California-based shoemaker’s claims were unfounded and simply not true. According to the FTC, Skechers mislead consumers by making “unfounded claims that Shape-ups would help people lose weight and strengthen and tone their buttocks, legs and abdominal muscles.”

David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, stated, “Skechers’ unfounded claims went beyond stronger and more toned muscles. The company even made claims about weight loss and cardiovascular health.”

With advertisements featuring high-profile and already curvy celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Brooke Burke, it is no surprise consumers bought into the hype surrounding the shoes.

Skechers is not the only company capitalizing on the toning footwear market but has been noted by the FTC as the industry leader. Skechers introduced Shape-ups in 2009. Sales peaked a year later in 2010 with estimated sales industrywide near $1 billion.

Shape-ups are not the only shoe to be scrutinized. According to the FTC, Skechers also made false claims regarding other products including Resistance Runner, Toners and Tone-up shoes.

Advertisements for Skechers Shape-up shoes featured an endorsement from chiropractor Dr. Steven Gautreau that cited an “independent” clinical study that tested the shoes’s benefits to one’s health; however, Skechers failed to make clear the fact that Gautreau is the spouse of a Skechers marketing executive and was also compensated for his endorsement.

The issue culminated Wednesday after a months-long investigation headed by the FTC and attorney generals from 44 states and the District of Columbia. According to Vladeck, “The FTC’s message, for Skechers and other national advertisers, is to shape up your substantiation or tone down your claims.”

Skechers will still be able to market toner shoes but will not be able to claim they have the effects on health that they once did, unless substantiated by scientific evidence.

Skechers Shape-ups originally sold for between $60 and $100 a pair. Consumers who purchased the shoes will be eligible for a refund either directly from the FTC or through a court-approved class-action lawsuit, according to officials.

Ratko Mladic must wait to hear verdict in war crimes trial

The former Serbian general’s trial has been delayed at The Hague

Ratko Mladic must continue to wait to hear the verdict in his U.N. war crimes trial as the presiding judge has ruled that prosecutors failed to deliver evidence to the defense team in due time.

Ratko Mladic is accused of commanding Bosnian Serb troops in the attempted genocide of Muslim and Croat men, women and children that left ever 100,000 during the 1992-95 Bosnian war. Ratko Mladic was the general in charge of the siege of the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo, which lasted 44 months.

Mladic, 70, was also the leader of troops who conducted the brutal murders of between 7,000 and 8,000 Muslim civilians, including men and boys, in the Bosnian city of Srebenica in July 1995. It was the worst massacre Europe has seen since World War II and one many Bosnians still remember in horrific detail.

Mladic’s trial has been suspended indefinitely after it was acknowledged that “significant disclosure errors” were committed by prosecutors in the trial, according to presiding judge Alphons Orie.

In a document sent from prosecutors to Mladic’s defense team, prosecutors admitted that they failed to upload documents to an electronic database accessible to defense lawyers, stating, “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that these missing materials . . . may have caused to you.”

Prosecutors also acknowledged the impact of their error on the defense team, stating it “could impact on the fairness of the trial to the accused,” according to court spokeswoman Nerma Jelacic.

According to The Associated Press, much of the missing materials focused on witnesses prosecutors intended to call to testify before the court takes an abbreviated summer break in July.

Mladic’s defense team is requesting a delay of six months. Judge Orie has said that U.N. judges at The Hague in Netherlands, the location of the tribunal, will analyze the “scope and full impact” of the prosecutor’s error and try to set a new starting date for the trial “as soon as possible.”

Prosecutors had wrapped up their opening statements early Thursday with gruesome details of the massacre at Srebenica. The presentation of evidence was scheduled to begin later this month. Mladic has refused to enter a plea on his behalf, claiming he is free from wrongdoing and was only acting to protect Bosnian Serbs. If convicted, the charge would carry a maximum sentence of life in prison

Ratko Mladic was only arrested last year after spending 15 years as a fugitive after the war. Serbs of all ethnicities harbor mixed feelings over his arrest and trial, ranging from outrage to solidarity.

Henry Kissinger fingered

The 88-year-old former Secretary of State was subjected to a TSA pat-down at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

Henry Kissinger felt the prying hands of TSA agents on him as he passed through airport security at New York’s LaGuardia Airport Friday. The 88-year-old former Secretary of State was cleared after it was revealed that he is, indeed, NOT a terrorist.

Henry Kissinger is not the first high-profile public figure or celebrity to have experienced – or refused to experience – the full TSA pat-down.

According to the Washington Post, Sen. Dianne Feinsten (D- Calif.), the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has been patted-down by the TSA along with Oscar winning-actress Jennifer Hudson. In January, Sen. Rand Paul (R- Ky.) was “detained” by TSA officials in Nashville after he refused to be patted-down. TV host Geraldo Rivera also claimed he was “manually raped” by TSA agents on his way to Afghanistan.

Henry Kissinger found himself in the mitts of the TSA as he attempted to catch a flight from New York to Toronto. Henry Kissinger was in a wheelchair as it was reportedly a long walk to the gate for the 88-year-old. Despite the recent implementing of a policy that would allow passengers at least 75 years old to keep their shoes and jackets on while going through security, it was stated by freelance reporter Matthew Cole that “he stood with his suit jacket off, and he was wearing suspenders. They gave him the full pat-down.”

Henry Kissinger served as Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford from September 1973 to January 1977. Kissinger also served as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs from January 1969 to November 1975. Kissinger is perhaps best-known for his role in helping to bring the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War to an end. Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, in 1977.

Roger Clemens reportedly threatened McNamee

The former baseball icon battles lurid details of his reported HGH use

Roger Clemens is battling public scrutiny as it is revealed he threatened anyone that would turn him into authorities by claiming he would send “his people” after them, according to the Federal government’s case against the once famous, now infamous, former MLB Cy Young Award winning pitcher. 

Roger Clemens is embroiled in a seemingly endless legal dispute, in which he is accused of perjury before a Grand Jury. The perjury charge stems from a federal investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball in which Roger Clemens testified he had never used steroids or human growth hormones (HGH). The current litigation focuses on proving Clemens’ testimony was falsified through proving Clemens knew he was receiving injections of HGH. The case rests heavily on the testimony of former assistant strength coach Brian McNamee.

Testimony in the trial recently revealed Roger Clemens threatened McNamee, fearing the strength coach would turn Clemens into the authorities. Jurors were presented with a copy of an e-mail from 2006, in which Rocket22 (Clemens) threatened to send “his people” after anyone who would snitch on him to authorities. In reply to this, McNamee responded by assuring Clemens that he would not rat him out but would instead “hop on a plane, find [Clemens] and slap [him] very hard” if he was implicated in the case.

According to McNamee’s testimony, he personally injected both Roger Clemens and his wife, Debbie, with HGH. McNamee claims he injected Clemens with steroids dating back to the 1998 season when Clemens was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. During the New York Yankees 2000 championship season, when both Clemens and McNamee were employed by the team, McNamee has said Clemens told him, “I’m ready to start up again.”

McNamee has testified that he injected Roger Clemens with HGH some “10 to 20” times during the 2000 season alone.

McNamee also testified that he felt “creepy” while injecting Clemens’ wife, Debbie, with HGH at the request of her husband. McNamee stated, “It didn’t feel normal or right. Part of me asked, ‘Why couldn’t Roger do this? He’s seen how I do it enough times.’”

The trial testimony must be awfully riveting as it is reported that two jurors have been removed for, of all things, sleeping. With testimony like this, and in a trial that seems without end, who could blame them?

Solar eclipse will be visible Sunday May 20 for many across the globe

The annular solar eclipse will leave only a ring of fire high in the sky

A solar eclipse will block out the majority of the sun on Sunday (May 20) and leave only an outer “ring of fire” blazing high above.

The solar eclipse will be visible from the majority of Asia, the Pacific region and western portions of North America. The event is known as an annular solar eclipse, not annual but instead derived from the Latin “annulus,” meaning “little ring.”

At its peak, the annular solar eclipse will block approximately 94 percent of the light from the sun.

Some parts of the U.S. and Canada will see a partial solar eclipse instead of the full “ring of fire” effect. The eastern coast of North America will not be able to view the event as the sun will have already set by the late afternoon or early evening time that the eclipse is expected to occur at. Viewers in North America can witness the event on May 20; those in Asia can observe the phenomena on May 21.

Solar eclipses happen when the moon interferes with our view of the sun. There are partial solar eclipses where only a portion of the sun is blocked by our moon and also total solar eclipses that block out all of the sun’s light. This annular eclipse is similar to a total solar eclipse in that the moon will line up directly with the sun; however, in this case, the moon is near its apogee – the farthest point from Earth in its elliptical orbit – and therefore will be a touch too small to cover the entirety of the sun’s circumference.

Observers must be cautious when attempting to view the solar eclipse, putting on a regular pair of sunglasses will not prevent severe damage to one’s eyesight. To safely witness the annular solar eclipse, an observer can buy special filters to fit over their telescopes, or No. 14 welder’s glass to wear over the eyes. If someone does not follow proper safety guidelines while viewing the event, serious and permanent eye damage could be the result, including blindness.

Interested parties can view locations and times where the eclipse can be seen at the eclipse skywatching guide.

Kris Jenner makes headlines for urging Khloe to undergo DNA testing

Kris Jenner admits to affair in release of her new book and urges famous daughter to take a DNA test

Kris Jenner, the head of the incredibly famous Kardashian household, is making headlines for doing what she does best, publicizing the details of her family. The star’s new book, Kris Jenner And All Things Kardashian, reveals some steamy details about an affair that occurred while married to the father of her famous daughters, Robert.

Kris Jenner may be causing a stir because of the book’s publicizing of the affair, but outrage is also being focused on another strange facet of the story. Kris Jenner is reportedly pushing her famous daughter Khloe Kardashian-Odom to undergo a DNA test to determine her paternal father as the affair occurred at the time of Kris’ pregnancy with Khloe.

Kris Jenner confronted Khloe about the DNA test on her daughter’s reality-show where Khloe vehemently resisted the idea, saying, “I don’t care either way cause my dad is my dad and my stepdad is my stepdad.” Khloe continued to distance herself from her mother’s odd behavior, “My mom’s book opened up a can of worms for people to have their opinions. I’m not mad at her but I need time to think. I don’t want to get sucked into the Kris Jenner crazy train.”

The crazy train referred to by Khloe includes the steamy quote from the book, “His name was Ryan, and he was a producer. We had wild sex everywhere, all the time.” The man involved in the alleged tryst has yet to come forward.

Many are faulting Kris Jenner for what they claim is the ultimate reason for the affair’s revelation and Kris Jenner’s urging of her daughter to investigate who her father really is- the almighty dollar. Certainly the situation has garnered droves of attention, but whether or not the reason for the book’s release is publicity or personal closure, remains up for debate.