Two rather humorous announcements this afternoon on our campus.

Campus community, A new business, Fair Trade Caf�, will be operating the Miller Center coffee shop beginning in October.

Friday, Sept. 30 will be the last day Meeting Grounds will be operating the coffee shop.

Campus community, I will not be taking coffee from the Fair Trade Cafe. I'm sure this is mostly about the Meeting Grounds -- a local coffee roaster and shop well known to locals -- not getting the new contract to run the space. And that's what's bothering me. Isn't "fair trade" about providing good prices to local suppliers? You know, the "thing globally, act locally" thing? The new vendor is also local, but somehow implying the previous vendor isn't fair isn't right at all.

And the whole fair trade coffee debate is pretty bogus. But bogus economic education is what this place is all about.

Second, a one-sentence missive:

The Atwood Center Council voted today to terminate the smoking facility in the Apocalypse Room as of 8 pm (building closing) on Wednesday, November 23rd,
2005.

There was something so poetic about a smoking lounge called the Apocalypse Room. It is in the basement and has no windows; it is closest to the dining facility in the student union building. What the hell else will they do with the place?

I know! Milliways! (UPDATE: Link fixed, Tim.)