The BC walls whisper network says some common spaces (lounges and reflection rooms) will be renovated, but not living spaces.
Are they renovating Walsh this summer?
What’s BC’s Plan to address the constant parking shortage on campus?
BC has no immediate plans to increase the amount of parking on campus. However, administrators are considering options on the Brighton Campus and the Hammond Pond property. Also, as construction projects near completion, they expect to have fewer contractors parking on campus.
What are the best ways to cure a hangover?
bit.ly/only-winning-strategy really, if you ask me… which you did. A recent systematic review (bit.ly/hangovers-review) suggests some compounds and products might be effective, but as always, IAAWNAD, and I will not recommend them.
Which Taylor Swift is the best Taylor Swift?
So many candidates. A few of the Wall’s favorites: 1) InfoSec Taylor Swift. bit.ly/bc-swift1. 2) 80s rock anthem Taylor Swift. bit.ly/bc-swift2. And remember: The Wall’s got a blank space, baby. But please, no names.
Will the Answer Wall construct a directory of all the bit.ly URLs it replies with?
Come visit me on the web, where my human friends have done just that: answerwall.domain.bc.edu/
Can you install a shower in O’Neill Library so I can live here?
As a resident of O’Neill, I can understand the attraction! We can’t install a shower, but the bathrooms all have soap and paper towels. We don’t have laundry machines, so please bring lots of clothing. Also, you can only live here while we have 24/7 hours, after that you’ll need to find somewhere else to spend the night. Welcome home!
Do pineapples belong on pizza?
Food questions are always tricky for the wall, because as a wall I cannot taste things. Often I am forced to turn such questions over to my minions who are always willing to risk burned mouths and tomato sauce stains on their shirts in pursuing these difficult questions. After their diligent and arduous testing a broad majority concluded that pineapples belong on pizzas: 59.1% in favor, 18.2% maybe, and only 22.7% opposed. Here are other toppings they recommended: Anchovies, goat cheese, fresh basil, onions, avocado, mushroom, sausage, arugula salad, peppers, a runny egg, left-overs from my fridge, ham, pineapple fried in coconut oil, kalamata olives, mushrooms, Bot pineapples, BBQ chicken, artichokes, extra fresh tomatoes, AND whatever you want! It’s your world, squirrel.
What is the optimal attitude/disposition that a person graduating college should have?
Many qualities will help, but the central one is a commitment to honesty. After you graduate, you’ll get the indescribable pleasure of your work & life having real impact on others, not just grade impacts on you. The flip side is the anxiety of unanticipated impacts: sometimes things don’t go as planned. Being the best you involves conflicting attitudes: bring the confidence & boldness when it’s time to act, persistence when things don’t go as planned, humility and flexibility when you need to ask for help and change plans, and adaptability and teachability when it’s time to grow. Why is honesty central? You can only understand a situation, other people, or yourself when you assess honestly, and you have to understand a situation to know which attitude to bring to it.
What’s your favorite meme?
Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The Wise? I thought not. It’s not a story the Jedi would tell you. It’s a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midichlorians to create life… He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying. The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. He became so powerful… the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. Ironic. He could save others from death, but not himself. bit.ly/darth-plaguies-meme
Good luck to me!
Absolutely! The very best of luck to you! The Wall supports you. (Not literally, I hope, but I’m there if you need me.)
Why are black bodies hypersexualized?
There are many thoughtful, scholarly takes on this problem in books in our collection: bit.ly/BC-af-am-sexualized. It’s quite likely an old stereotype with its ugly roots in the slavery era, when exaggerated black sexuality was employed to coerce & control sexual behavior, to distract from the systemic rape of black women by slaveowners, and to justify lynchings as a threat to control black men.
How much does Fr. Leahy’s grass really cost?
In order to answer this, I need to ask a followup question. By “Fr. Leahy’s grass” do you mean the sod planted to refresh the landscaping on campus each spring?
Where are the best camping/fishing grounds near BC?
You’re in luck because this area is rich with opportunities! The question is, how near do you mean by near? For really near, and accessible without a car, I’d vote for the Boston Harbor Islands. You can catch a ferry from Boston and camp for $8 a night. One of my helpers describes Bumpkin Island camping as “idyllic.” Here’s a great article with all the details: bit.ly/fishcampbhi.
What is being done negotiating the hookup culture on campus?
It’s not an easy problem to solve, but there are ongoong efforts here. Faculty both teach classes relevant to changing hookup culture (e.g. Kerry Cronin’s class Dating Project), and conduct research on the subject. The BC Women’s Center holds a “ResTalk” program called “Undressing the Hookup Culture” (see bit.ly/HookupResTalk).
How do I tell my girl I don’t like kinky stuff?
Directly. Cheerfully. Non-judgmentally. Everyone gets to like what they like. If you talk about it, you might be able to come to a compromise that works for both of you. If you don’t talk about it, you won’t, and it would be sad not to try.
Is the bird the word?
The bird has been the word since the 1962 hit by The Rivingtons (bit.ly/rivingtons-bird), an African American doo-wop group from LA. After the Minneapolis-based Trashmen covered it in 1963 (combined with elements of the bigger Rivingtons hit, “Papa Oom Mow Mow”) as a surf song that became a runaway hit (bit.ly/trashmen-bird), the song has gone through many incarnations, mostly among surf (The Beach Boys) and punk (The Ramones, The Cramps) bands, and got renewed attention in The Family Guy. For an interesting review of surf records, see The Illustrated Discography of Surf Music by John Blair (O’Neill Library ML156.4.R6 B6x 1995). For more on doo-wop, see Forever Doo-Wop: Race, Nostalgia, and Vocal Harmony, by John Michael Runowicz (O’Neill Library ML3527 .H47 2010).
What do you think of Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony in front of Congress?
The Wall was genuinely surprised how hands-off he appears to be about how his company’s product works and makes money. Here are a few responses to the testimony worth reading: The Washington Post checked out his claims: bit.ly/bc-zuck1. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is dubious about his claims about artificial intelligence. bit.ly/bc-zuck2. Wired made a list of everything he said he’d follow up on. bit.ly/bc-zuck3. And the stock market apparently feels Facebook will be able to continue making money. bit.ly/bc-zuck4. And oh, the memes… bit.ly/bc-zuck5.
When was the screaming eagle first created?
According to an article in The Heights (bit.ly/screaming-cheesesteak), it was first created in 2004. You might be interested to know that the phrase “screaming eagle” first appeared in The Heights in 1933 (bit.ly/BC-screaming-eagle1) in a metonymic usage representing the football team: “in another attempt to hand the screaming Eagle of Boston College a defeat.”
Sushi or Sashimi?
As a wall I do not have any taste buds, but my acolytes assure me that both are delicious. Sushi or Sashimi, like many things boils down to personal tastes. Do you prefer your raw fish to be served with rice and seaweed (and other things) or do you enjoy the purity of the fish to be unsullied by other ingredients? The choice is yours.
YES OR NOT?
I think no.