As incoming provost Kent Fuchs begins his transition to his new post I call upon him to consider a new graduation requirement for seniors: a workshop in personal finance. The changing of the guard at the University’s highest academic office offers a unique opportunity for Cornell to become a leader among its peer institutions by educating its students in not only the writings of philosophers, the theories of physicists, or the greatest works of artists and architects, but also in pertinent subjects such as credit card debt, mortgages, and saving for retirement.

Laura Martin | Guest Room Some people like John McCain. I have gotten your attention with a disruptive exclamation … rather like shouting “sex!” in a quiet room. Let’s be honest, the 2004 election wasn’t nearly this interesting. The prospect of another four years of Bush seemed ominous and slightly annoying, but there was nothing to be feared but more-of-the-same. Besides, the only real opposition to the inept incumbent was an unpalatable beneficiary of the ketchup dynasty. And yet this current election cycle is different. It is riveting. I can’t help but check the Gallup poll ten times a day, even though I know its fundamental flaws (after all, it’s only a poll). I cling to each Palin gaffe, each Biden gaffe, each Obama and McCain un-gaffe (they both have an amazing ability to avoid the dread gaffe).

Ever since the first I.Q. test was administered in 1914, standardized testing has developed rapidly in the U.S. In true capitalist fashion, “prep” or “crash” courses have developed even more rapidly, and at the present time they are in full bloom of speculation and swindling. If you are considering becoming an Atticus Finch Esq., Dr. House, Warren Buffett, or just want to be a professional student, you know you need to take the LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, or GRE respectively. Although many may coddle you — saying your score doesn’t matter — you know that the closer you get to 180/ 45T/ 800/1600, the closer you get to moving out of your parents’ basement. If that’s not enough pressure, your score often dictates the amount of scholarship funding available to you.

A stampede of selling that began in the waning minutes of trading on Wall Street spread to Asia on Friday, deepening a financial crisis that has defied all efforts to stop it.

Wall Street suffered through another extraordinary and traumatic session Monday, with the Dow Jones industrials plunging as much as 800 points — their largest one-day point drop — before recovering to close with a loss of 370. The catalyst for the selling, which also took the Dow below 10,000 for the first time in four years, was investors' growing despair that the spreading credit crisis will take a heavy toll around the world.

You know what really grinds my gears? People.

The fight over control of Wachovia intensified Saturday, as a judge temporarily agreed to block the sale of the bank by Wells Fargo, Citigroup announced in a news release. State Supreme Court Justice Charles Ramos issued the order blocking the sale of Wachovia Corp., which Wells Fargo & Co. had agreed to purchase in a $14.8 billion deal.

In an abrupt change of course, Wachovia Corp. said Friday it agreed to be acquired by Wells Fargo & Co. in a $15.1 billion all-stock deal, wiping out Wachovia's previous plan to sell its banking operations to rival suitor Citigroup Inc.

While healthy young adults may appear to be the least at risk for health problems, make no mistake — many young adults are uninsured. The current system of health insurance in the United States has placed college students in an incredible bind. Over 13.7 million young adults in the U.S. today do not have health insurance specifically, those between the ages of 19 and 29, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a healthcare think tank. With young adults comprise one of the largest segments of America’s uninsured, we can be certain this is a serious domestic issue.

The focus of this column, then, will be the metaphorical roommate who won’t leave when you and your significant other are clearly vying for some privacy. Yes, I will continue to beat it (no pun intended), the only issue of relative significance these days, the dead horse — the economy, stupid.