Pornography losing out to e-commerce

Daily Collegian (Pennsylvania State U.)

Sex and pornography are losing out to e-commerce among users of the Excite Web search engine, according to a study by a Pennsylvania State University professor. Amanda Spink, associate professor of information sciences and technology, and three colleagues found the percentage of searches for information about ``entertainment or recreation'' and ``sex and pornography'' decreased over a four-year span, while searches for information about ``commerce, travel, employment or economy'' and ``people, places or things'' were more popular. Spink used three data sets collected from the Excite Web search engine in September 1997, December 1999 and May 2001.

U. Oregon grad jailed in Ecuadoran prison while researching thesis

Oregon Daily Emerald (U. Oregon)

After being arrested with 16 environmental activists in Ecuador last week, University of Oregon graduate student Daniel Randolph returned to Eugene, Ore., with more than just facts for his master's thesis. He came back inspired by what he saw. Randolph was interviewing peaceful activists who have been protesting since Jan. 2 the construction of an oil pipeline in the Mindo Nambillo Protected Cloudforest. He spent only one day at the Cloudforest site and was arrested the next day, last Thursday, while walking down a hill. He was told he was violating his visa for tourism by engaging in a political protest but was given no further explanation. Randolph, however, said he only was working on his thesis, which concerns the export of oil from the jungle. After being deported, Randolph also was told he could not return to Ecuador for five years. He is appealing the ruling.

U. Illinois seniors compete in quarter-bouncing tournament

Daily Illini (U. Illinois)

University of Illinois seniors Jim Drousias and Keith Murphy surpassed the performance of the Illinois men's basketball team to make it to the Elite Eight -- in quarter bouncing. The duo competed in Bud Light's national quarter bouncers tournament March 31 at the ESPN Zone in Atlanta. Like the NCAA Tournament, the quarter bouncing competition began with 64 teams. As in the Big Dance, teams won their way to the finals by way of regional tournament wins. Drousias and Murphy lost to the eventual champions. Contestants threw the quarters from the three-point line into a basketball net on a mini-table shaped like a basketball court. Each were given 25 quarters and timed to see how many they could put in during four 45-second periods.

MSU's Sparty draws fire for appearance in beer ad

The Associated Press

Mascots from Michigan State University and seven other colleges shouldn't have appeared in a TV beer commercial to promote safe drinking, the American Medical Association says. The 30-second Anheuser-Busch ad, which ran about 20 times during the recent NCAA men's and women's basketball tournament, features a coach telling college mascots - including Michigan State's Sparty - about the importance of celebrating responsibly. Critics argue an ad talking about ``the real harm that comes with excessive drinking'' would have been more appropriate. Officials at the school said they signed off on the ad because it was a positive message aimed at getting students to think before they drink.