I Graduated From The WE

I graduated from high school last Saturday. I graduated from this site as well. It's a sad departure, but I feel that after many months of random posting, it's in my best interest to stop this great gig as an Etudiant. Though I've personally churned out many respectable pieces this past school year, I feel like my best work is still ahead. But it needs to be organized. At this moment, there is another project in the working. It's not done yet. A really unfinished product will come very soon. My colleagues and I will post under a new label. This website isn't going anywhere, don't worry. I'm opening it up to the other students whose names are displayed on the right side of this page. Some of these students may well be involved in the new project...I don't know for sure. If you've arrived here from some past entry...great! It will always be in the archive. If you like what you see, don't worry...the best is yet to come. That's what I hope anyway. For now, I no longer consider myself an administrator. I'll still post about the new project so that I don't lose any of you readers. Stay tuned...

A New Look Again

I think this one is pretty cool. Probably not permanent. Hope you like it.

- Étudiant

Jokes Over!

On April 1, 2008, the Étudiant was transformed into a celebrity news blog. This year, the Étudiant featured an "I Love Obama" banner and news snippets, which showed the blogger's admiration for the President. If by any chance you didn't come on here yesterday, the great website April Fools Day on the Web logged a snapshot of the site.

You'll notice that the Étudiant will be rocking a spring green theme for the month of April. Hopefully, you'll like that.

Switching to Yahoo! Media Player

YouTube videos are fun, but I will be switching to the Yahoo! Media Player format very soon for songs of the day and other audio postings. A lot of music blogs are using this new format and it seems to be working quite well for them. Look for this in the near future!

Just A Little Question

Does anyone go on É2.0 anymore? Or is wakefieldnews.blogspot.com your thang? Let me know, if you don't mind. Thanks.

Best of the Étudiant in 2008

News Stories

1. É2.0 launches on September 1st, 2008.

2. Co-founder Ben Tan leaves the Étudiant only to come back a few months later and post an amazing poem.

3. The Étudiant celebrates 2000 posts.

Most Commented on Post

1.Why You Shouldn't Vote for Obama- 20 Comments

Most Hits in 1 Day

1. August 1 - 676 Page Loads

Most Hits in 1 Month

1. August - 10,275 Page Loads

New Winter Look

What do you guys think?

Write For The Étudiant

Do you read my pro-life, anti-gay marriage, anti-drug war, Libertarian opinions and think to yourself, "This guy's an idiot!"? Do you watch all the videos and think the same? If so, you should consider writing for the idiot's site. Let your voice be heard.

Comment or talk to me for details on signing up.

Did I Really Just Post About Egg Nog?

Yes, yes I did. You see, the fun thing about having a blog (with no real focus) is that I am in no way limited to posting about certain things. I can (and will) endeavor to post about random things such as Egg Nog. That's kind of what we do here at the Étudiant.

É2.0 Is Here!

Timeline:

July 4: I make my first e-mail to Ed Vo, the designer of É2.0.

August 31: Ed applies the finishing touches to É2.0.

September 1: Call it an Évolution: the Wakefield Étudiant expands into something greater.

From this point forward, your favorite homepage will not be located at wakefieldnews.blogspot.com. Instead, this site will exist as a plain looking blog that houses an archive of every single post ever made. Also, the limitations of the internet do not allow for the classic É to be displayed in the domain name. Don't worry; there will be plenty of É on the new site.

In the event that the new server experiences difficulties, you are welcome to come back here. Changing back to É1.0 takes all of one minute so reverting remains a viable safety net. We don't expect any failure of that nature, so please enjoy the new site! For more information about 2.0 please visit the "About Us" section on the new site.

Click here for to access 2.0: http://waketudiant.com/splash.html

Other ways to access 2.0: http://wakefieldetudiant.com OR http://waketudiant.com

Thanks,
Glen, Ed, and Chris

Downtime Over The Next Day

With under 24 hours until the launch of É2.0, there might be some downtime/weird things happening to this particular site.

We apology for any inconvenience (which might include a lack of updates for Sunday, August 31).

Contact Us

Feedback/Comments: GMaganzini@nesportsnews.com

News Tips/Press Release Queries: wakefieldetudiant@gmail.com

Site Problems/Broken Links: edvovo@gmail.com

Advertising /Sales Opportunities: AFAllon@nesportsnews.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Editor-In-Chief/Administrator: Glen Maganzini (GMaganzini@nesportsnews.com)

Senior Contributor/Administrator: Chris DeCarlo (No e-mail available...lol)

Website Designer/Administrator: Ed Vo (Edvovo@gmail.com)

Contributing Writer/Director of Marketing: Andrew Fallon (AFallon@nesportsnews.com)

Contributing Writer: Liz Sullivan

Contributing Writer: Matt Hurton (randumbkid@gmail.com)

Privacy Policy

PRIVACY POLICY

The Wakefield Étudiant is committed to providing a fun, safe and secure website for people of
all ages. We are dedicated to safeguarding all personal information collected online.

To help ensure a rewarding online experience for all visitors, we provide this summary of
our information practices. This privacy notice governs the collection and use of information
at the Wakefield Étudiant.

We will treat all personal information we collect in accordance with the privacy notice in effect at the time the information is collected.

I. The Information We Collect

At the Wakefield Étudiant, we do not collect personally identifiable information unless our
visitors voluntarily provide it to us via comments.

Visitors who order merchandise or other materials from the Wakefield Étudiant or any of its affiliates will be required to provide their full name, billing and mailing addresses, e-mail address,
telephone number and possibly a credit card number. If the order is being shipped to a third
party, we will also need the recipient's name and mailing address. Before collecting
information in connection with a store order, we will verify the validity of the purchaser's
credit card. On occasion, we might solicit additional voluntary information regarding
shoppers' personal shopping preferences.

People of all ages are welcomed at the Wakefield Étudiant. We understand that most websites require children under 13 years old to notify their parent(s) upon commenting. Here, it is up to the child to make that judgment with or without his or her parent's assistance. We ask that children under the age of 13 abstain from making comments on articles; however, we do not keep track of our visitor's ages so we have no way of knowing how old our readers are unless they specifically divulge such information.

When visitors come to our site, we automatically collect some non-personally identifiable
information such as the type of computer operating system (e.g., Windows XP or Mac OS)
and browser (e.g., Mozilla, Internet Explorer) being used, and the domain name of the
Internet service provider (e.g., America Online, Earthlink). In addition, the country and IP address of our visitors are collected.

II. How We Use the Information

We never sell, rent, or otherwise share our visitors' personal information with third
parties. We may aggregate this information to analyze site usage, as well as to offer products, programs, or services.

We will disclose information we maintain as required by law, for example, in response to
a court order or a subpoena. We also may disclose such information in response to a
specific law enforcement agency's request.

We will not use or transfer personally identifiable information in ways that are materially
different from the ones described above without also providing parental notification of
such practices and obtaining consent for any materially different uses.

Advertising

Interested in advertising on the Wakefield Étudiant? We offer a variety of flexible packages which accommodate your needs. With thousands of new visitors each week, the Étudiant is ideal for ticket agencies, concert venues, and local businesses.

Contact Andrew Fallon AFallon@nesportsnews.com or Glen Maganzini GMaganzini@nesportsnews.com for further info.

Peace out

"Enough about me," I remarked on the first post of the Wakefield Étudiant as we know it. It's never been about me, up to my final post. It's about the many characters that have made my run here so enjoyable.
Before anyone else, there was Chris Morrill. Thank or blame him, because this news blog was his idea, after a particularly bad Spin issue. Me, I was just along for the ride.
For a while now, the driver of that vehicle has been another talented friend of mine, the amazing Glen Maganzini. He's been my closest collaborator on this project for almost two years, and despite our many differences, his contributions have been key to making the site the great thing it is. This blog was once a one man show, now an exciting collection of personalities.
Along the way, we picked up plenty more riders, among them a legend, a musical genius, a fan boy, a straight A student, a former spammer, and a talented web designer. I thank every one of them for giving this site something new. The one-man band thing won't always work, but everyone loves an all-star jam.
Believe me, this website is in good hands. It'll be a little different, a little less lo-fi, but still independent, informative, and entertaining. In short, I'm no longer needed, so my work here is done. Good night, good luck, and goodbye.

Ben and Glen Talk About É2.0

Part One



Part Two

Top Tan List: My Posts

This being my second-to-last day here, I thought it'd be the perfect time to look back. Consider these posts, presented in chronological order, my greatest hits. Consider this post the CD Review.
About us...
As the site evolved, something it will always do, this post got bigger. Our purpose, however, remains the same: to give you all the news you need to know. Chris Morrill and I started this blog because Spin wasn't doing that job very well. Nowadays, the incompetence of famous corporate outlets justifies this independent journal.
A Night with the Guys and Dolls of the Drama Club
Behold, my first journalistic endeavor that wasn't an opinion piece! Desperate to glimpse behind the scenes of the 2006 spring musical, I went to the dressing room, without anybody's permission, during the intermission and right after the final bow. Advice to aspiring reporters: don't do that.
My day at the TV Barbecue
Over these past few years, my posts have gotten a bit more formal, professional. I would never write in such a casual style as this. But hey, at least I wasn't just posting the Item's top story verbatim. Again.
The grass has grown...
I never thought I'd see a supermarket across from my piano teacher's house. I've since bought groceries there constantly, since it's a five minute walk from my house. On the grand opening, however, I wasn't so sure if this big new building was a good thing. Check out my 16-year-old self's quest to answer that question...and get some free stuff.
Étudiant, Spin/Outlook news
Chris Morrill and I didn't just want to give W.H.S. students an alternative to Spin, which is what this blog originally was. We wanted to improve the damn thing, too. Here's a look at how we did that. We didn't get exactly what we wanted, but the paper appears to have a bit more quality control. Once thing hasn't changed: Glen Maganzini is still amazing.
Student Spotlight: Peter Costa
Here's a kind of piece I should have done more of. Get on it, Étudiants. Interviews are the heart of journalism, especially the informative conversations like these.
Halloween controversy at WHS
It's not so rare for W.H.S. to be accused of stepping over the boundaries. Ms. Freedman caused a bit of a stir with a Halloween announcement. Here are the reactions of Tim Cushing, Andrew Fallon, and a couple others.
Étudiant Éxclusive Senior Show Scoop!
Back in the fall, kids weren't too happy that there'd be no play in the senior show. Come March, however, the many skits made up for it. By the way...
Young Republicans of W.H.S.
I wasn't too sure how seriously to take this club. The school sure seemed to consider it a joke. I would have liked to see some political clubs. Get on it, Étudiants.
Iraq vet talks to juniors
For some time, I supported staying the course because an Iraq vet did. Then I realized that the troops are just as divided over Iraq as the rest of us are. But things have gotten better over the last few months, so let's hope they come home soon.
Darfur survivor visits WHS
Many learned about the Darfur conflict for the first time at this assembly. I've been following the story for more than a year now, and meeting Marwa gave me a better understanding of what's going on. Bless her, and big thanks to the school.
Concert Review: Billy Joel
Billy Joel is one of the top ten acts to see live before you die. He's a born entertainer, and put on one of the best shows I've ever seen. Hell, even if you don't like the guy, go just to see Chainsaw sing "Highway to Hell"!
Chris, Ben, Glen
The Étudiant wouldn't be nearly as good as it is without the others. This video demonstrates what it's like to work with them: a blast. My baby's in good hands.

All This Week in É

Got a friend named Glen
Strange to Boston men
Prays to God and catches cod
As fishes swarm again
His politics are bait
His victims just can't wait
To disagree and say that he
Is stiffer than a plate
But he just laughs and harnesses
The power of their hate
All this week in É
Athletes went to play
Swimming man got one more fan
And much more golden pay
All this week in É

See another star?
He's returned from afar
Walks so long to share his song
'Cause he don't have a car
Man who loves Pink Floyd
Left a mighty void
Even though a former foe
Said he must be destroyed
He used his punk rock spirit
With dissenters he toyed
All this week in É
War was here to stay
Do believe that death won't leave
Much to our dismay
All this week in É

Old friend plays the bass
Freshness in his face
Be impressed that he's obsessed,
His words, with this place
Man with perfect grades
Joins our escapades
Lit or math, don't know what path
He'll take when high school fades
Quite nice that we admins
Have such folk as aides
All this week in É
Battlefield's okay
Things improve, but we won't move
For many a day
All this week in É

Me, I'm almost done
Won't forget the fun
I have had, and I'm so glad
To know everyone
My time here must end
To it, others tend
And I must give them my trust
For I am a friend
Hope that I'll move upward
That I don't pretend
All this week in É
Readers yelled hooray
We broke news and sang the blues
Updates every day
All this week in É
Readers yelled hooray
We broke news and sang the blues
Updates every day
All this week in É

In a Better World...There Would Be More Good News

Ever wonder why the Étudiant is so sarcastic all the time? We writers have become so disillusioned and skeptical of the people in power, and have turned this site into a place to vent and joke - to deal with it by writing. You know, a blog.

Not that we're a bunch of sad sacks - in fact, Glen and DeCarlo must be Morrissey's most upbeat fans - it's just that the news media's top priority is to turn all its consumers into Holden Caulfield. Bill O'Reilly gets you to hate Bin Laden's driver while the FOX News ticker constantly reminds us that the terrorists might strike. The corruption in China has made this year's Olympics the most controversial contest in a while.

The media has taught us how to look at the good grass on the other side of the fence and wonder why the grass on our side is a grayish shade of brown. The nation of Iraq is making so much progress, making us wonder if the mission is truly accomplished and if we can withdraw. Barry continues to inspire the world with his favorite words - hope, change, and unity - only for his chief opponent to compare him to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Harsh, John.

Our cynical society doesn't want us to look forward to the future, but we try anyway. We try to help each other by writing what not to do at an airport, or by adding music to the day. We try to remember that whether things get better or things get worse, we'll always have our friends around to cheer us up.

All in all, we just have to remember that, no matter what the news media would rather have us believe, life is good. There's good people all around, and plenty of good things happening, and we Americans are especially lucky to be here. In a better world, the media would remind us of that.

Phase 1 of Étudiant 2.0

Consider this Étudiant 1.3: the color scheme of the blog is bit different and that is because we want you the reader to get used to how the new site will look.

Will there be another phase until the big site is revealed on September 1? Probably not.