Top news of the day
The stories you should check out
1. Alum Maurice Grant, senior Adeesha Ekanayake and Doug Turnbull, assistant professor of computer science, had their peer-reviewed paper accepted for publication at the 14th International Conference on Music Information Retrieval. The paper, titled “MeUse: Recommending Internet Radio Stations,” will be presented at the conference Nov. 4–8 in Curitiba, Brazil.
2. The second annual pumpkin carving challenge is today. Staff Council is challenging departments to show their creativity and turn an ordinary pumpkin into a masterpiece. Staff members can stop by the pumpkin carving table from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Campus Center and make a donation to vote for their favorite pumpkin. All proceeds raised will go to the Staff Council Caring and Sharing Committee.
3. The Ithaca College Debate Team traveled to Toronto for the North American Universities Debate Championships held Oct. 19–20. Senior Georgie McCauley and freshman James Dellasala competed in the tournament, and juniors Jeremy Li and Tiffany Ruff judged the competition. The tournament was attended by teams from throughout North America, and McGill University won after beating Harvard, Yale and the University of Vermont.
What’s happening today
The events you won’t want to miss
1. The college chapter of Guiding Eyes for the Blind will hold its second annual Pet-A-Puppy Halloween from 6–8 p.m. in the Mondo Gym in the Fitness Center. Puppies will be dressed in costume.
2. The Macabre Theatre Ensemble will perform its production of the Poe Project at 10 p.m. in Klingenstein Lounge.
3. MasqueRAVE, a Halloween dance party, is at 8:30 p.m. in Emerson Suites. There will be a costume contest, glow sticks and free candy.
Halloween around the world
Fun facts about the tradition
1. Mexico: In Mexico, Halloween is known as “Dia de los Muertos,” or the day of the dead. The three-day celebration begins on the night of Oct. 31 and ends on Nov. 2. Mexican families construct an altar in their homes and decorate it with candy, flowers, photos and fresh water to honor the dead, who are believed to return to their homes on Halloween.
2. Ireland: Halloween has Celtic roots and is thought to have originated from Ireland. It is celebrated in a way similar to the United States. The Irish also eat a traditional food called barnbrack, which is a kind of fruitcake. A treat is hidden inside the cake and is said to predict the future of the person who eats the treat.
3. Belgium: The Belgians believe it is unlucky for a black cat to cross one’s path. It is also considered unlucky if a black cat enters a home or travels on a ship. On Halloween night, Belgians customarily light candles in memory of dead relatives.
