Students made to crawl through slush
TORONTO, March 25 (UPI) -- Administrators at Toronto's Ryerson University say they'll meet with leaders of a student group after underwear-clad students were made to crawl through slush.
Ryerson President Sheldon Levy said administrators will meet with leaders of the Ryerson Engineering Student Society after students vying to lead the group's 2013 frosh week were made to crawl through slush in their underwear Thursday, when temperatures were below freezing, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Monday.
Video of the event posted online shows leaders of the event spraying the underwear-clad students with water guns and at one point a male student is seen slapping a crawling female student on the buttocks.
"The university is categorical in affirming it does not condone student conduct that demeans individuals in any way, and I am making clear our shock and anger in the face of this departure from dignity," Levy said in a statement on the school's website. "We have very strong policies in place that have been invoked immediately to deal with those involved."
Rose Ghamari, president of the Ryerson Engineering Student Society, said the event was "kind of like a preparation to have them get a feel of how it's going to be during frosh week."
"Our intention was never to have anyone crawl through the slush. That was not the purpose of the event," Ghamari said.
Facebook pages anonymously share 'secrets'
NEW YORK, March 25 (UPI) -- Facebook pages are being created at universities across New York to allow students and instructors to anonymously share their "secrets."
A page called Hunter Secrets is filled with anonymous messages from instructors and students at City University of New York, including confessions of student/instructor trysts, the New York Post reported Monday.
"I'm an instructor at Hunter College and this weekend, I engaged in sexual intercourse with one of my students," one of the posts reads. "I did have a bit of guilt at first but that guilt has gone away. I'll just end this by saying that it was the hottest sex I have ever had."
Similar pages have been set up for New York University, Queens College and other schools.
"I'm a Teaching Assistant at NYU and I have a crush on one of my students," a post on the New York University page reads. "I don't know if I should tell her now or wait for the term to end since it might cost me my job."
A communications staffer at a New York college told the Post administrators are concerned about the pages.
"Administrations monitor them, the kids are looking at these pages before they go to the school's website," the staffer said. "Anything that affects a school's brand or its perception -- especially with so much competition for applicants -- is going to be a serious cause for concern."
Caretaker allegedly drank $102k in whiskey
SCOTTDALE, Pa., March 25 (UPI) -- The caretaker of a Pennsylvania mansion is accused of drinking 52 bottles of whiskey appraised at a total $102,400.
Patricia Hill, who purchased the Scottdale mansion in 2012, said caretaker John Saunders, 62, helped her remove and dust off nine cases of Old Farm Pure Rye Whiskey that were apparently concealed in the walls of the home by industrialist J.P. Brennan, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Monday.
"My guess is that Mr. Brennan ordered 10 cases ... pre-Prohibition," Hill said. "I was told by his family that family members used to greet him at the door each day with a shot of whiskey."
Hill said she discovered after Saunders moved out that he had apparently drank 52 of the 108 bottles of the whiskey, which was bottled in 1912 at the West Overton Distilling Co. She said the missing booze was appraised at a total $102,400 by New York auction house Bonhams.
"This whole experience has shocked me," Hill said. "I was shocked when I found them, shocked to find Mr. Saunders drank them, and shocked when I received the appraisal. I had just planned to preserve them."
Saunders was arrested and is now charged with receiving stolen property and theft. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Wednesday.
Thousands heckle legendary dwarf
DETROIT, March 25 (UPI) -- Organizers of Detroit's annual Marche du Nain Rouge said 4,000 people turned out to heckle the legendary red dwarf.
Peter Van Dyke, organizer of the fourth annual event at 1 p.m. Sunday, said 4,000 people, many in colorful costumes and playing musical instruments, turned up to heckle Nain Rouge, the legendary red dwarf considered the manifestation of doom for Detroit and its residents, the Detroit Free Press reported Monday.
Van Dyke said 3,000 people attended last year's Marche du Nain Rouge, a custom from the 18th century that was revived in 2010.
He said the event is aimed at raising the spirits of Detroit residents, who are encouraged to "have fun with it," The Detroit News reported.
"It's open for everybody's interpretation," he said. "The main point is to celebrate the good things in Detroit, banish the bad and start anew. It's all positive."
