College Peddles Bike Program to Go Green

'Humans vs. Zombies' role-play lets students 'act like kids again'

(NEWSER) - Zombies are a growing scourge on college campuses, but fear not: They can be stopped with Nerf guns, pool noodles, or rolled-up socks. The game Humans vs. Zombies—“tag” for the 21st century—began at a college near Baltimore and has spread to some 50 campuses. “It really caught on to a degree that no one expected,” an organizer tells the Boston Globe. More»

What happened to Sylvia Plath and Allen Ginsberg?

(NEWSER) - A few decades ago, college kids turned to radicals to satisfy their literary thirst, but on today’s campuses, “you're more likely to hear a werewolf howl than Allen Ginsberg,” writes Ron Charles in the Washington Post. Other than Barack Obama’s tomes, the bestselling books among college students these days are the Twilight series. “The only specter haunting the groves of American academe seems to be suburban contentment.” More»

College freshmen share their lessons about admissions success

(NEWSER) - Applications continue to flood into top US colleges despite the economic slowdown. With admissions as competitive as ever, the Wall Street Journal talks to six people who know—college freshmen—and asks for their advice:

• Don't let naysayers deter you from your dream school: "It pays off to keep on going for it even if you're told you can't do it," says a Stanford product design major.

Countries that encourage self-propelled commuting see benefits instantly

(NEWSER) - The US remains uninspired by nations that have prodded people to save money by biking to work, the Washington Post reports. Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands installed infrastructure years ago to benefit bikers and discourage cars, but America—along with Canada, Australia, and Britain—have not. "It is very clear how to do this," one expert said. "It is not rocket science." More»

City hopes shared bikes will make a dent in ze car traffic

(NEWSER) - Paris began offering free bikes at stations throughout the city yesterday in a new initiative to ease car traffic. Cyclists can use any of 20,000 heavy-duty bikes parked at 750 locations around the capital by swiping a transportation card that costs $1.36 for the day and up tp $40 for an annual pass. More»