the buzz log

Some weeks in the Buzz are thrilling. Others are inspiring. However, this past week was filled with some sad and discouraging news. Some of the noteworthy stories you may have missed: A child dying of cancer asked for (and received) a private screening of Pixar's "Up." A Chicago school announced that 44 of its 77 students won't graduate. Oh, and you know that nasal spray you've been using to help cure your cold? Turns out it might have taken away your sense of smell.

A child's last wish
10-year-old Colby Curtin died of cancer this week, but before she passed away, her final wish was fulfilled. The child had desperately wanted to see the new Pixar movie, "Up." Unfortunately, she was too ill to go to the theater. According to various articles within the Buzz, Pixar was told of Colby's illness. The company sent a representative to deliver a DVD for Colby to watch in her room. Though she could no longer see, her mother narrated the action. Colby died several hours after the movie ended, and searches on "up movie make a wish" and "colby curtin up" both soared.

Tough times at South Side school
A Chicago school made an alarming announcement this week. Close to 60% of its students won't graduate from the eighth grade. The startling figure sent lookups on "Myra Bradwell Elementary School" spiking. An article from CBS 2 Chicago explains that many in the community are wondering who to blame for the students' failure. Some are pointing fingers at the parents, while those same parents are claiming they didn't receive any notice that their children were struggling (the school board claims that written notices were sent).

What's that smell?
When will companies learn to stop trying to cure the common cold? Perhaps now, after the FDA charged Matrixx, the makers of Zicam, with selling a product that robbed people of their sense of smell. Matrixx called the claim "unwarranted." Still, the news caused a shockwave in Search as lookups roared on "zicam side effects," "zicam recall," and "loss of smell zicam." An article from CNN Money explains that because Zicam was classified as a homeopathic remedy, it was able to be marketed without "government oversight." Perhaps that loophole will soon be closed?

Also buzzing this week...
• Al Roker took it to the Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag on "The Today Show."
• The highly anticipated, if awkwardly named, iPhone 3G S hit store shelves.
• A rash of alleged UFO abductions struck our friends Down Under.

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Filed under: Movies, Recaps, Education, Week in Review, Wrap Up

The dog ate my homework: Too elementary, insensitive to canines since it implies they don't respect intellectual achievement, and don't you have a file saved?

My (fill-in close kin) died: Too macabre, and you're going to run out of family members pretty quick. If they don't disown you first.

My file got corrupted: Hmmm. Subtle, and just on the right side of plausibility. Especially if you emailed said file to teacher or professor. 

Who among us haven't felt that dawning desperation, "I'm not going to finish my  assignment on time." For those who have thrown ethics into the wind but have one of those teachers or professors who would demand 1) an X-ray of the dog's contents or 2) a death certificate, there is apparently a little-known service called Corrupted-Files.

The Website offers to, well, corrupt your file, which you then email to your educator of choice. Presumably, by the time he or she gets to it and tells you, you've used those extra precious hours to finish and can send the real goods.

All right, before you procrastinating students or even working stiffs get all excited and start checking out this secret service for Powerpoint presentations, the academic circle already got a whiff of this scam. (They're not intellectuals for nothing.) Inside Higher Ed blog interviewed the shameless Website's owner, who says he actually created it "as a goof" but did tell one complaining faculty member, "It's basically just a good excuse vs. outright cheating." Why didn't Wall Street think of this?

While the customer base is modest at best (10 a day during finals time), the desperate tend to come from "Ivy and top tier schools," says the founder, who explains, "I guess the more perfect people think you are, the more likely in life you are to cheat to keep that perception." 

Filed under: Education, College and Universities, Cheats

Forget G.I. Joe... people would rather hear about G.I. Bill.

Searches for "veterans benefits" (up 4,095% in the past 7 days) have been hitting some all-time highs on Yahoo!. The interest is in part spurred by the passage of the "new gi bill" (off the charts), otherwise known as the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Bill.

The revamped measure kicks into gear August 1, but people are looking for the nitty gritty now. The GI Bill may have already encouraged soldiers to re-up, as benefits are eligible only for those in active service or the reserves.

Despite recent legislative hearings applauding the GI Bill, the Department of Veterans Affairs has been working hard to—as they say in civilian terms—manage expectations. About 800,000 disability claims already clog the bureaucracy, and the rising clamor to take advantage of the educational benefits will weigh heavily upon a straitened workforce.

Be that as it may, vets are good and ready to get what's coming to them. As noted in a previous Buzz Log post, many have been looking to higher education as a recessionary refuge. A Q&A FAQ sheet on the new GI Bill can be found on the Department of Veterans Affairs (as well as a history of the first one here)

Filed under: Education, Military, Government