Today, as a side event at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia (COP-13) Greenpeace's Solar Generation with the assistance of the Japanese delegation took a brief moment to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the creation of the Kyoto Protocol.

(A repost from Jessica L. Pierce, Organizing Director of the US Students Association) 

For the first time in a decade, we have a real chance in Congress to make college more affordable and accessible. But special interests are threatening to halt this progress. We need your help right now. Please call your Senator today!

"Brian has written this book like a master tennis player” says Scott Keeter the Director of Survey Research at the Pew Research Center. In a poor attempt at humor, Keeter then “jokingly” attacks Caplan’s poor selection of website wallpapering. Knee-slapping hilarious, I die! (Oh my God it hurts so bad… where’s the food??.<------ My unedited text that I wrote during this painful discussion.)

 Why sit shamefully in a long boring morning lecture for free food, while posing as an Aussie, when you can test drive a brand new car while eating delicious hot bagels and savoring the glorious taste of dark rich coffee!  Ha!  I love Free Food-a-Thon.   

“Feed Me Seymour” <-------- The exact roar my stomach made this morning—no lie—as I contemplated how a struggling vegan was going to get thru the day on nothing but free food. (Rick Moranis is my hero!)   

Then it hit me, I’ll “buy” a car!  The Tischer Nissan family of Laurel, Maryland definitely provides for their “potential” customers, I must admit.  While dressing the part, (I’m extra spiffy today) I passed as a young urban professional who had a few minutes to spare before tackling the world of torts and insurance policies. 

“How can I help you sir?”  Jim, the over-the-hill, balding white guy inquires.   “I’m looking for a vehicle that screams ‘informed bad ass’” I replied.  Then it happened! What I was anticipating all morning. “Sir would you care for some coffee or a bagel?” a young assistant interrupts as Jim goes on how the Altima is fully redesigned for 2007.  “Sure” I unenthusiastically admitted.  (Victory! Eat that Kate Monster!)

Jim: “You have time to go for a spin…”

I’m converted, the 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 Altima is impressive.  Starting with the least expensive model, the four-cylinder model 2.5 (then it’s the 2.5S and 2.5SL) the pricier V6 zooms from zero to 60 mph in only 6.6 seconds (of which I’ve discovered first hand), a fine performance for a family sedan.  Well, that’s how I spent the first hour of my morning. 

Now onto my long boring afternoon lecture for free food. My lunch plans: the Myth of the Rational Voter book forum at the Cato Institute!  Happy hunting fellow free-fooders!

 Okay…So whose idea was to put the Fourth of July on a Wednesday? Urghh! I shake my fist at Pope Gregory XIII and his strange calendar system that ensures this pattern reoccurs every seven or so years.  So, now I’m back among the Campus Progress Intern’s Cult (C-PIC), regretting how I forgot that yesterday was indeed a Wednesday and not a Saturday.  Fourth cup of coffee slammed back: Check!

 So, I struggle to stay focus on today’s assignments; my mind keeps wandering back to last night.  The day/night that was spent with brilliant minds, over great food and an endless ravine of “spirits!”  Viva La Plei in Your Lei on Independence Dei!! (Smashing job Leah T, Jess P, Irene S, Stefanie B, Jasmine H & Rebecca T)  My first Wash.D.C July 4th experience can best be simplified as; DC = One-City-that-goes-over-the-top-with-its-Celebrating.  I mean, DUHHH, it’s only the national capital right!?!  But what I found most bizarre was the audible similarities of what could be compared to as a regular day in Baghdad.  

 BOOM… Boom… boom...  (The entire “patio smokers’ caucus” jumps in an involuntary reaction to three hours of perpetual, acoustic bombardment.)  

 So I admit it, I’ve never been in an active war zone of any type. Even while growing up in urban Detroit, I don’t share the same experiences that many stereotypes would suggest—I ’m exposed! But America has!  I admit further, that I’m no authority as to judge what defines the deciibel and acoustic requirements of a “war-zone-ish” scenario.  Granted.  But, the strength and intensity of civilian-acquired fireworks begins to make real my understanding of active, urban warfare. It’s now four years and four days since “Bring Em On,” which of course pissed off more militants then one hundred million “yo mama” insults, and as I read my daily Google Reader news feeds , I glance over headline like “Baghdad wedding car bomb kills many”; “Blast kills 60” “Mosque clash turns deadly” and then I check Facebook.  WTF!  Is this not real?  Am I really that desensitized?  

Yesterday, I experienced large expositions, which seemed to come-and-go from every direction.  That was my experience.  One night vs 1569?  No comparison!  This WAR MUST STOP

Okay, so the 110th Congress ROCKS—or so one confused student thinks!  Today, June 20th 2007, the US Senate marked up its, 500 + page version of the, would be Higher Education Access Reconciliation Act of 2007.  After thumbing through, an otherwise boring document, I was excited to see that our lawmakers—this go around—might very well be fighting for students!  The Senate’s HELP Committee or Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is under the leadership of Senator Ted Kennedy. Chairman Kennedy has pledged increased Pell Grant levels, reductions of interest rates on student loans, debt forgiveness, cutting corporate welfare in the financial aid system and much more. 

College cost have grown nearly 40% in the last five years, so as a student I’m all for (1) Strengthening the Middle Class by Making College more Affordable (2) Increasing the Purchasing Power of the Pell Grant Scholarship (3) Ensuring a highly Qualified Teacher in Every Classroom (4) Encouraging and Rewarding Public Services; and lastly, (5) Encouraging Philanthropic Participation ion College Retention and Finance 

However, before us students search for the closest party store in jubilate celebration, we must not forget Budget Reconciliation of 2006 when Congress slashed 12.6 billion out of many student loan programs.