PHOTO | JOSH KAMNETZ | PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

An estimated crowd of 7,000 celebrated Tulane’s fourth annual Crawfest Saturday, consuming all 16,000 pounds of crawfish by 3 p.m. The musical performances continued until 9 p.m.

Featuring 10 local bands, 11 local art vendors, five food vendors and 10 non-profit stands, Crawfest attracted a larger crowd of non-Tulane affiliates this year than ever before.

The Crawfest Committee, an elected group within Undergraduate Student Government, spends from $130,000 - 150,000 to put on Crawfest each year.

“I don’t think most people realize it, but preparing for Crawfest literally takes a year,” Sponsorship Chair Blandon David said. “We’re already having meetings to plan Crawfest Five. But it’s completely worth it because the event affects everyone: undergraduate students, graduate students, professors, prospective students and the entire New Orleans community.”

Because Tulane student fees included in tuition pay for the crawfish, the Crawfest committee charged non-Tulane affiliates $10 per bracelet to buy crawfish.

“We sold more crawfish bracelets than in past years,” David said. “Every year we have gotten better with advertising, and it really showed with everyone from the community that came out.”

Because the staff stopped selling bracelets when the crawfish ran out, it is impossible to determine the exact number of people who came to this year’s Crawfest.

“We did really well, with a 40 percent increase in sales from last year,” said Erica Trani of InExchange, one of the clothing vendors present at the festival. “We are hoping for that kind of luck at JazzFest.”

Along with the vendors, artists also said they were pleasantly surprised with the Tulane crowd.

“Multiple artists came up and told us that they were treated better at Crawfest than at any other event or festival,” Crawfest Committee Chair Becky Sahm said.

New Orleans musician and Crawfest headliner Trombone Shorty “Tweeted” after his performance Saturday.

Trombone Shorty “had a lotta fun at Tulane crawfest today,” according to the Tweet. “They really know how 2 party!!”

JOSH KAMNETZ | Assistant Photography Editor	JOSH KAMNETZ | Assistant Photography Editor
STEPHEN CHEONG-LEEN | Staff Photographer

The Deepwater Horizon caught fire Tuesday 50 miles off the Louisiana coast and sank Thursday, increasing the chance the rig could become a major oil spill and diminishing rescuers’ hopes of finding the missing rig workers alive. The rig could dump more than 300,000 gallons of oil into the gulf daily, which may create a major ecological disaster if the spill reaches the Louisiana coast.

NOPD releases names of copper thieves

The thieves allegedly stole more than $1 million in copper from local buildings in 2008. NOPD believes that at least five people worked together to rob businesses late at night and illegally sell the copper to local scrap yards. The thieves targeted businesses, partially rebuilt homes and schools. They robbed a number of establishments more than once.

Vitter targets Army Corps of Engineers

Louisiana Senator David Vitter placed a hold on General Michael Walsh’s promotion, claiming that the Army as a whole failed to adequately protect the Gulf Coast. Other U.S. senators warned Vitter that his hold will not change the Army Corps’ decision to go with a coastal rebuilding plan that is less expensive than the plan Vitter supports.

Orleans Parish deputy arrested for trading weed for cash

The deputy in training admitted to giving an inmate a cell phone and marijuana for $500 in cash. The deputy, who was fired immediately, is being held on $30,000 bail and faces three charges, including intent to distribute marijuana.

The Tulane University Police Department is working to improve safety in the streets adjacent to campus following a robbery at 4 a.m. April 14 on the 7400 block of Zimple Street. TUPD was unsure if the robbery was connected to crimes that occurred earlier in the school year.

Two men approached a student and demanded his wallet. They took his cash and then returned the wallet to the student.

TUPD Sergeant Clinton Rollin said the department increases surveillance after all armed robberies. Both plainclothes and uniformed officers patrol the area to deter future crimes.

“Whenever we have an instance like that, the [New Orleans Police Department] second district Commander Bruce Little and [TUPD Chief Danny Lawless] always try to saturate the area to put more eyes there,” Rollin said. “We try to push them out of the neighborhood with the deterrent effect of marked vehicles. With plainclothes cars or unmarked cars you’re in apprehension mode. You try to sneak around to see if you can jump the guy in the act or stop suspicious people in the area who maybe match the description.”

Increased surveillance usually begins in the area around the crime scene the night following a crime.

“If we a have robbery one night, those plans are in effect the next night, and we usually have a crime report within 24 hours,” Rollins said.
Students who live in the area said they do not feel severely threatened by crime, though they do take precautions.

“I don’t use Safe Ride, but I don’t walk home alone,” said junior Caroline Goodman, who lives near Freret and Lowerline Streets. “Usually I walk in groups. This mugging hasn’t changed how I behave at night. I tend to walk in groups because of last year’s events.”

Junior Michael Maizel, who lives near Zimple and Hillary Streets, said he was already cautious before the robbery.

“I’ve always sort of erred on the side of caution in the area,” Maizel said. “I lock all the doors and make sure everything is very secure. I wasn’t aware of the mugging, but if you live off campus, it’s definitely good to be cautious in the area.”

Rollin said the best way to prevent crime is to use common sense.

“Risk awareness is something the students need to take seriously,” Rollin said. “Utilize the Safe Ride shuttle. Trying to remove the opportunity for the criminal and the victim to meet up is really the best thing students or anyone can do to lessen their likelihood of becoming a victim.”

Jubilation, an 11-piece band with a full horn section, will play a free concert on the LBC quad. The band will cover hits from several musical legends, including Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Earth, Wind and Fire. 

PUBLIC SERVICE SHOWCASE
Tuesday
3:30 - 6 p.m.
Hollygrove Farmer’s Market

Students and faculty members from the Center for Public Service will showcase their community service work. CPS will offer shuttle service from the Howard-Tilton Library to the market. Entertainment and refreshments will be provided.

COMEDY NIGHT
Thursday
6 - 8 p.m.
The Columns

Mike Strecker, Tulane’s director of public relations, will perform his stand-up comedy routine at the legendary St. Charles Avenue hotel. Strecker has performed at the House of Blues, the Improv in Los Angeles and the New Orleans Comedy Festival. Admission is $15.

Reaching more than 30 percent of the undergraduate student body, this year’s turnout for the senator elections was higher than it had been in previous years.

Of the 11 senators, eight have served on USG before either as senators or as council chairs, said USG Executive Vice President Cassady Adams. The other three have never served on USG before.          

“They’re great, and I’m excited to work with the new members,” Adams said. “We need new people to bring new spirit and enthusiasm, and the people who were re-elected were great. I’m excited they’ll be on USG again.”

USG President Lauren Aronson said she thinks the senators who are new to USG will be valuable additions to the organization.

“It’s a very interesting mix of incumbents and new incoming senators, which I think will freshen USG’s stance on things,” Aronson said.

Aronson said she recognized all of the 33 candidates’ faces and names. She said she encourages students who did not win senator elections to find alternate ways of becoming involved with USG.

“It was exciting to see how many people really want to get involved, and I hope that all the students who did not receive one of the 11 seats for this coming term will consider the alternatives and other avenues for getting involved with USG,” Aronson said. “For instance, we’re going to have a lot of transition with council chairs and being responsible for different student organizations. The other way to get involved is through your individual school.”

Adams said that all of the candidates’ campaigns brought more enthusiasm and school spirit to campus. Though Adams said candidates did submit infractions to her, they were minor and eventually dismissed.

“All of them ran fantastic campaigns and followed the rules and were very meticulous,” Adams said.

Aronson said she was happy that the turnout was so high and that the elections went almost flawlessly.

“We had a clean campaign,” Aronson said, “We had a couple of infractions but nothing that hindered anyone’s votes.”

Miles Babin, who received one of the senator seats, said he conducted his campaign from The Republic of Mauritius, an island off the coast of Africa where he is studying abroad, he ran his campaign online.

“I got in touch with a few of my friends and asked them to spread the word,” Babin said. “Additionally, with my platform I sought to emphasize rather than ignore my unique position 10,000 miles away from New Orleans. After all, how many people run for USG from Africa?”

A man tried to enter the first floor of Willow B Residences. A staff member tried to detain the man in her office while she called the police. When the man realized what was happening, he ran out of the building and jumped a fence toward Willow Street. Police canvased the area, but the man was not found.

Bike Theft

A student saw a man trying to steal a bike from a bike rack 4 p.m. March 30 using bolt cutters. When the student confronted the man, the man said, “Yes, and mind your own fucking business.” The man could not remove the bike’s lock and moved onto another bike. He successfully cut the lock and rode off in the opposite direction. The student tried to catch up to the man but could not.

Egging

People living in a house off campus began yelling at a house across the street for being too loud at 4 a.m. April 16. Two women then walked out from the house across the street to the other house. A screaming match commenced and then escalated.  The women then walked back to their house and retrieved eggs, and began throwing them. Both women were intoxicated and denied throwing the eggs.

Gunmen targeted two hotels in Monterrey, Mexico early Wednesday morning, kidnapping four guests and at least three staff members. Dozens of armed men surrounded the Holiday Inn Centro and the Mision Hotel, blocking the surrounding streets with stolen trucks. They then abducted both receptionists and took many guests hostage, later letting the majority of them go. The group’s allegiance is unknown, and experts say the attack was unprecedented.

Thailand protests escalate

Five grenades detonated on a train platform yesterday in downtown Bangkok, Thailand as pro-government and anti-government groups converged. Authorities said the blast killed at least three and wounded 75. The explosions are the latest in more than six weeks of violence and tensions in the country.

African opposition leader arrested

Rwandan police apprehended a central opposition presidential candidate Wednesday. Authorities accused the candidate, Victoire Ingabire, of genocidal ideology. The charge is commonly used in the country to end political uprisings. Rwandan authorities said they do not arrest political opposition without cause. Ingabire is an ethnic Hutu, while the Rwandan government is primarily controlled by Tutsis.

Info courtesy nytimes.com

PHOTO | HANNA LIPMAN | ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Tulane’s University Senate is considering reforming Technology Services in response to various student and faculty complaints.

Tulane pays an off-site company to take phone calls from Tulane affiliates when they have technological problems. This third party that is currently responsible for handling calls is facing criticism for long response times and for failing to adequately help callers. The Senate is now considering implementing a new system of responding to calls.

Daniel Capek, Undergraduate Student Government vice president of student life, said that it might be more effective to eliminate the outside company.

“The issues raised revolved around the current ‘help desk’ that professors and students can call when they are having a technology issue,” Capek said. “This current telephone support is off-site at a call center run by a third party vendor.”

Capek said that the main problems include the company’s long response times and general strugle to help.

“Tulane pays a premium for a short response time and 24/7 service,” Capek said. “However, the response time that is normally received is much longer than the five minutes or so we should be getting.”

As Tulane prepares to reach its final decision as to whether the university should renew its contract, alternative proposals are under consideration.

Capek said one proposal is to bring all technological support on campus. 

“Bringing all tech support, in addition to who Tulane currently staffs in the IT department, onto campus. This would be a nice option,” Capek said, “Faculty and students would be able to speak to and follow up with a person who they can also speak to in person right on campus. The drawback to this option, however, is the cost. Staffing everyone on campus and creating the offices would present a large upfront cost compared to the more moderate annual rates we currently pay to outside vendors.”

Martin Heyder, a freshman and Technology Services employee, said he questions the need for additional assistance on campus.

“Why would we have a support hotline on campus when students can access in-person support 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday already?” Heyder said.

Capek said the Senate is also considering a similar service through a different company.

“[We may choose to initiate] an outside vending contract with a different company who will provide better support and response time,” Capek said. “Furthermore, to reduce costs, we’d likely eliminate 24/7 service, limiting it to normal business hours. This is the more cost-effective option but may still have the same pitfalls as the current service — not able to follow up with the person you initially talked with, and the person is still merely on the phone and cannot come to help you, especially for professors with on campus desktop computers.”

Lauren Hobson, a freshman and Technology Services employee, said the impact of changing Technology Services may be limited given the limited role the help desk currently plays.

“They mostly do things like change passwords and work on server problems,” Hobson said. “Moving that to campus could be a good move, but whether it will make a significant change in student life remains to be seen.”

Capek said the university will decide by June.

Though the bookstore may be the most convenient option for selling their textbooks, some students are searching for alternatives. For those environmentally-conscious students, Chegg.com is an innovative new Web site that purchases used textbooks. Chegg is a textbook rental service that has saved students more than $180 million on books, according to the site. In addition to renting books, Chegg also provides a buy-back service for student and promises to plant a tree for every book that is sold or rented.

Freshman Nick Panzarella said he prefers getting his books from Chegg as opposed to a typical bookstore.

“Chegg is awesome because you can just rent your books from them instead of having to buy them at a marked up price and sell them at a fraction of that price,” Panzarella said. “Also, you can sell your books directly to them at a higher price than the bookstore would offer and they plant a tree for every book they buy.”

Another option for students wishing to sell textbooks is Loomagoo.com. Founder and CEO of Loomagoo Andy Beal said the site is the craigslist for used textbooks.

“Students post classified advertisements for their book and leave contact information such as an e-mail address or phone number,” Beal said. “You set the price.”

Potential buyers search for books at a specific school by professor name, subject, or course title; students purchase their books directly from the seller. The exchange takes place offline, and the service is free to students. Students also have the option of uploading notes, study guides and other class materials onto the site, making it available to all students to download.

Four Loyola students who were tired of paying the sometimes exorbitant campus bookstore prices developed Loomagoo.

“We wanted to create an alternative store that allowed kids to buy and sell from each other,” Beal said.

Officially launched in Spring 2009, Loomagoo has attracted students from more than 20 universities.

Hullabaloo staff writer JP Gooderham conceived a similar concept for exchanging used textbooks. Last Semester, Gooderham created the Facebook group “Tulane Book Trade,” which has attracted more than 500 students looking to sell or purchase textbooks. The book trade was created in response to widespread complaints about the prices of used textbooks at the campus bookstore, Gooderham said.

“Many students, like myself, felt they were being ripped off when selling used textbooks back,” Gooderham said. “The Tulane Book Trade became a Facebook project that enables students to cut out the middleman by posting the titles of their textbooks while searching for those they need for future classes.” 

PHOTO | LEE SAXON | PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

T.J Quills, the decades-old Maple Street bar, will reopen as early as May 5 after two years as The Raven. The new owners plan to revive Quill’s venerable Big Cup Night.

Before it closed in 2008, Quills was famous for its cheap mid-week drink specials. Draft beer cost 25 cents on Tuesday, and Wednesday’s wildly popular Big Cup Night made Quills a Tulane institution. Each patron paid $5 for a  22oz cup, cup included. Refills cost $3.

“I loved big cup night,” junior Beckie Warren said. “I always went. They had huge drinks and I still have all the cups.”

In spring 2008, Quills closed and was opened under new ownership as The Raven. Business plummeted when students returned to campus the following fall.

“It went completely downhill when it changed over,” said Brian Spellman, who bartended at both Quills and The Raven. “The business was in shambles. We didn’t order enough product, and we didn’t ever have enough to sell.”

Spellman said the changeover was frustrating for employees who had to deal with uninterested management and was disappointing for students. He said The Raven had fewer beers on tap, frequently ran out of popular drinks and was seen by many students as the worst option on Maple Street. Big Cup Night ended shortly after The Raven opened, the bathrooms were frequently out of order, both the interior and exterior of the bar were poorly lit, and other Maple Street bars generally offered more affordable drink specials.

“It’s always empty,” sophomore Scott Hurtgen said. “I’m pretty sure I went once and we just turned around and left. It was very unpopular. Nobody’s ever over there. You can just look across from Rocco’s and see that it’s empty.”

After two tumultuous years of declining profits, the building is once again under new management. This time, Spellman said, management is committed to investing in the bar. The new Quills will have a new bar and ice chests, which will allow Quills to deliver the coldest beer possible. The new owners are also looking into serving New Orleans style meals instead of typical pub food.

“We’ll have a fixed roof, an interior facelift, competent bartenders, it won’t smell as bad and the bathrooms will actually work,” Spellman said.

Quills will still have an uphill battle convincing underclassmen who never experienced Big Cup Night to come try the new bar.

“The Boot holds events regularly,” sophomore Gordon Hill said. “If they made better use of the space, I might consider going.”

New bartender Devin Duke said students should stop by at least once.

“All of the bartenders are going to want to serve you,” Duke said. “It will be a party seven days a week.” 

Courtesy Matt Simmons

Morgan Spurlock, the producer, writer and documentary filmmaker best known for the film “Super Size Me” and TV show “30 Days,” will speak at 7 p.m. Monday in McAlister Auditorium.

The talk is part of the Direction Speaker Series, which Tulane University Campus Programming brought back last year for the first time since Hurricane Katrina. Past speakers include former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and PostSecret Founder Frank Warren.

“Typically we bring politicians in the fall, and in the spring we try to bring someone who can relate to students and be more informal,” said Matt Simmons, TUCP direction chair and president-elect.

TUCP President Monica Kumar said she thought Spurlock would be an ideal speaker for their spring event.

“We are always looking for diverse and illustrious persons to bring to campus,” Kumar said. “Morgan Spurlock is someone who has definitely left an impact on our culture since “Super Size Me” changed the way we looked at fries.”

Spurlock will talk about his work and take questions from the audience. The event will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the release of ‘Super Size Me,’ and footage from the event will appear in its upcoming fifth anniversary special DVD release, which will also include footage from events at other colleges.

“Students in the audience or people who ask questions might end up on the DVD,” Simmons said.

Many Tulane students said they are looking forward to the event.

“I’ve always enjoyed Morgan Spurlock and his work,” said freshman Hunter Smith, who plans to attend Spurlock’s talk. “He does a great job in making the points he’s trying to get across to his audience while keeping it lighthearted at the same time.”

Kumar said she also has high hopes for the event.

“Students will enjoy the talk simply because he’s a fascinating guy,” Kumar said. “I am just hoping that Tulane students will come out to the event and enjoy hearing from him. Perhaps [they will] even learn something.”

Courtesy Jackson Hill

Emad Kandil, assistant professor of surgery and chief of endocrine surgery at Tulane Medical Center is performing thyroid surgeries that are rarely performed in the United States.

The surgery leaves no visible scars and is almost painless. Because of this surgery and other technological advancements, the Tulane University Medical Center attracts surgeons who are keeping with the latest trends in medical technology. The medical center also attracts prospective medical students because of its highly regarded use of medical technology.

Last month Kandil offered a course to more than 100 surgeons from all over the world to learn about these new types of minimally invasive procedures.

“Tulane is one of few medical institutions that uses state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line medical technology to perform surgeries,” Kandil said.

With the use of robotic technology, surgeons can remove potentially deadly tissue from vital organs. Because of the accuracy and precision the equipment provides, patients leave with little to no nerve damage, tissue damage or visible scars, which is a significant change from traditional surgical techniques that caused patients pain due to the unintentional damage of nerves and other tissues as well as permanent scars.

“During these procedures, I carefully stimulate the nerves so that I don’t damage or overextend them,” Kandil said. “Any stretching or careless contact with nerves could cause permanent damage to them.”

 This technique is an extra step Kandil takes to prevent nerve damage. Kandil also uses a small camera with a 10 time zoom capability and 3-D imaging.

Benjamin Lee, professor of Urology and director of robotics, laparoscopy and endourology at the Tulane Medical Center, uses this advanced technology during surgeries. Lee’s minimally-invasive surgery removes cancerous tissue from kidneys.  Patients travel from all over the United States and Central America to receive procedures from Tulane surgeons because of their experiences with minimally-invasive procedures.

Students from around the world apply to Tulane specifically for its use in robotic technology. Jenna Michaels, a prospective Tulane medical student, said she is excited about the latest medical technology.

“I am really looking forward to attending Tulane’s medical school,” Michaels said. “Their use of the latest technology says a lot about Tulane and promises a healthier and safer future for patients.”

Lee Hamm, executive vice dean of the Tulane University School of Medicine, said that applicants are eager to learn about new technologies that are coming along in the medical field.

“When aspiring medical students see doctors like Kandil using the latest technology to perform surgeries and other procedures, they want to be a part of it,” Hamm said. “One of the things Tulane is great for is its use of technology in the field of medicine. Tulane ranks very well nationally for our emphasis on medical technologies.

Emad Kandil, assistant professor of surgery and chief of endocrine surgery at Tulane Medical Center is performing thyroid surgeries that are rarely performed in the United States.

The surgery leaves no visible scars and is almost painless. Because of this surgery and other technological advancements, the Tulane University Medical Center attracts surgeons who are keeping with the latest trends in medical technology. The medical center also attracts prospective medical students because of its highly regarded use of medical technology.

Last month Kandil offered a course to more than 100 surgeons from all over the world to learn about these new types of minimally invasive procedures.

“Tulane is one of few medical institutions that uses state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line medical technology to perform surgeries,” Kandil said.

With the use of robotic technology, surgeons can remove potentially deadly tissue from vital organs. Because of the accuracy and precision the equipment provides, patients leave with little to no nerve damage, tissue damage or visible scars, which is a significant change from traditional surgical techniques that caused patients pain due to the unintentional damage of nerves and other tissues as well as permanent scars.

“During these procedures, I carefully stimulate the nerves so that I don’t damage or overextend them,” Kandil said. “Any stretching or careless contact with nerves could cause permanent damage to them.”

This technique is an extra step Kandil takes to prevent nerve damage. Kandil also uses a small camera with a 10 time zoom capability and 3-D imaging.

Benjamin Lee, professor of Urology and director of robotics, laparoscopy and endourology at the Tulane Medical Center, uses this advanced technology during surgeries. Lee’s minimally-invasive surgery removes cancerous tissue from kidneys.

Patients travel from all over the United States and Central America to receive procedures from Tulane surgeons because of their experiences with minimally-invasive procedures.

Students from around the world apply to Tulane specifically for its use in robotic technology. Jenna Michaels, a prospective Tulane medical student, said she is excited about the latest medical technology.

“I am really looking forward to attending Tulane’s medical school,” Michaels said. “Their use of the latest technology says a lot about Tulane and promises a healthier and safer future for patients.”

Lee Hamm, executive vice dean of the Tulane University School of Medicine, said that applicants are eager to learn about new technologies that are coming along in the medical field.

“When aspiring medical students see doctors like Kandil using the latest technology to perform surgeries and other procedures, they want to be a part of it,” Hamm said. “One of the things Tulane is great for is its use of technology in the field of medicine. Tulane ranks very well nationally for our emphasis on medical technologies.

PHOTO | Courtesy LADYGAGA.COM

Much of Lady Gaga’s music revolves around the idea of (flawed) human relationships. Herein we explore some of her ideas concerning male/female relations. Naturally, you take her advice at your own risk.

Can’t read my, can’t read my // No he can’t read my poker face // (She’s got to love nobody)

Explanation: On the battlefield of love, Stefani Germanotta, aka Lady Gaga, advises her listeners to conceal all of their intentions and emotions to potential admirers, as if playing a poker game.

Analysis:  In a society that constantly encourages frank “sharing” of  “feelings,” the Arcade is refreshed that Lady Gaga understands the way things really work. If you can believe our pick-up artist friends, “spitting game” requires a constant barrage of deception, intimidation and outright lies. We encourage you, as does Gaga, to do such things to people you care about, if you truly want them to love you back.

Just a second; it’s my favorite song they’re gonna play and I cannot text you with a drink in my hand, eh? // You shoulda made some plans with me; you knew that I was free // And now you won’t stop calling me // I’m kinda busy

Explanation:  Germanotta advises us to spite lovers or potential love-interests who fail to call and make plans in a timely manner. The precise method involves taunting and teasing them by showing how much fun we are having at the club without them.

Analysis: The Arcade couldn’t agree more. If a potential paramour doesn’t call at least a week in advance to confirm our appointment (date), we punish them by drinking heavily and ignoring their phone calls. It is a fundamental law of attraction, you see, to want someone that treats you terribly. Gaga understands this better than any pop star, and her lyrics are anthems for empowered women who punish men by “just dancing.”  It is evident, however, that “just dancing” implies going home with random strangers to sleep with them after a night of libertine excess as some poor sap sits on the end of his bed and texts to no avail.

I love this record, baby // But I can’t see straight anymore

Explanation:  When out at the club, Gaga advises her fans on a common crisis. After a night of partying, some girls (or guys) may find they gave someone the wrong idea; dancing gets too close and before you know it, someone gets the wrong idea.   The way to dismiss such unwanted suitors is to get completely obliterated and use your intoxication as an excuse to avoid sexual contact.

Analysis: This is bad advice.

Courtesy Mayra Pineda

President Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo Sosa of Honduras is set to meet with Tulane President Scott Cowen this weekend.

It is estimated that more than 120,000 Hondurans live in the New Orleans area, making the Crescent City the fourth most populous Honduran community in the world.

Mayra Pineda, former Consul General and current liason between the Honduran government and New Orleans city officials, said there is a broad range of issues on Lobo’s agenda, including education, healthcare, security, infrastructure and tourism.

“He’s coming to learn many things from New Orleans,” Pineda said. “[Lobo wants] to emulate how New Orleans became a tourist destination and how New Orleans recently developed a film industry.”

The politically conservative Lobo, whose term began Jan. 27, was elected in November amid political turmoil following the country’s coup d’etat ousting former democratically-elected President Manuel Zelaya.

Criticized for attempting to amend the Constitution to stay in power past the legal single term, Zelaya was marched out of his home at gunpoint by the Honduran military June 29 just before dawn.
Though no foreign governments recognized the de-facto rulers following Zelaya’s ousting, Jorge Micheletti took control of the country until Lobo was sworn in.

“He will hold a roundtable discussion on Saturday with all of the university presidents in the area, such as Tulane, Loyola, Xavier, Dillard and University of New Orleans,” Pineda said. “Education is a top priority for President Lobo.”

“Because we’re dealing with a head of state, there’s a lot of demand, and so it’s not exactly the easiest thing to schedule,” Tulane Public Relations Director Mike Strecker said.

Hundreds of Hondurans come to New Orleans to go to college each year.

“You get a ridiculous amount of Hondurans here because of the large community that’s already established,” said Hector Pastor, a Honduran who came to study at Loyola University. “We feel more comfortable and closer to home.”

Rocio Valdiviezo, a student at UNO, said that many Hondurans come to the United States for the educational opportunities the country offers.
“For Latin Americans, a college degree from the United States is a huge advantage and opens many more opportunities,” Valdiviezo said. “Knowing English really sets you apart from the competition.”

New Orleans offers students a home and tuition at an affordable price.
“[Hondurans come to New Orleans because] a lot of our parents studied in New Orleans,” Valdiviezo said. “The climate is so similar to Honduras’s. Plus, the amount of scholarships from schools like Loyola and UNO especially are a big help.”

A college degree from the United States can be indispensable for students planning to return to Honduras.

“My uncle, who is now the Honduran Minister of Public Works and Transportation, studied at UNO, and President Lobo studied at University of Miami,” Pastor said. “The university over there is all right, but if you have the opportunity, like connections or a scholarship, you come here for college.”

As this issue is the last one the Hullabaloo will print this academic year, the writer’s interview with President Lobo, scheduled to take place Sunday, will be posted online at www.thehullabaloo.com.

PHOTO | Karl Mondon/Contra Costa Times/MCT

Apple’s new iPad is a bit of a conundrum. Sure, the iPad is a shiny touch-screen thingie that combines the neato features of an iPhone with the portability and easy reading capabilities of a Kindle. But how practical is it? What can actually be done with an iPad, beyond playing Tetris, watching stupid YouTube movies in HD and lording it over all your poorer, less techno savvy peers?

Some speculate that the iPad may find its true calling in education.

Seton Hill University recently decreed that all entering students will receive both a 13-inch MacBook Pro and an iPad, and Oregon’s George Fox University will give students a choice between the two. (Ironic that the less-obscure Tulane University cannot afford to actually, you know, house upperclassmen, but I digress.) The iPad matters to educators because it may finally provide a platform for interactive, portable textbooks. The Amazon Kindle simply can’t provide the computing power — or the sexy color screen — necessary to produce really excellent digital textbooks.

The iPad could, however, provide textbook companies with the perfect rationale to develop the next generation of texts. Penguin Books already has interactive iPad books in development; other publishers will follow suit. Interactive books could provide both text and links to media and information gathered from across the Internet. These books would be portable, light and impervious to both highlighting horrors and occasional use as rolling-paper vending machines. Furthermore, as the iPad comes with all the applications the iPhone does, educational software is already being developed that will exploit the iPads big shiny screen, network capability, and portable nature. Existing applications include high-quality painting software, beautiful visual representations of the periodic table, digital and ever-changing planetariums, and geography applications incorporating high-definition photography. Not bad, considering that the iPad has only been available to the unwashed masses for a month or so.

Problems exist with iPad use on campus. Widespread use of the devices sucks up bandwidth like crazy, forcing the aforementioned Seton Hill University to charge students a $500 “technology fee.” The iPad currently has no camera capabilities, meaning that it can’t yet be used for video conferencing, a technology that is becoming more and more important in the educational sector. The iPad, at an entry price of $499 dollars, is by no means a cheap date at this point in time — though it can be argued that a one-time iPad purchase is a lot easier to handle than the textbook pricing shakedown that occurs every single blasted semester. And an iPad is a lot sexier to have lying around your room than yet another mysteriously stained Econ book.

Textbook companies are not thrilled with losing their eons-old grip on your wallets, in the form of stacks of mind-blowingly overpriced textbooks on subjects you really couldn’t care less about. But the educational publishing companies seem to have finally figured out that they can adapt, or they can die, and the iPad may usher them (begrudgingly) into the future. It remains to be seen how textbook companies will price these interactive books, and it also remains to be seen whether professors will embrace the new technology or recoil from it — as it stands, college faculty’s track record on this stuff hasn’t exactly been stellar. The iPad, regardless of these caveats, represents an incredible new technology and an opportunity to experiment: an opportunity that could theoretically lead to a more compelling and fulfilling educational experience for everyone.

It’s obvious, then. Tulane really should get its students in on the experiment and provide iPads for its students. Mr. Jobs, want to make a really big donation?