On the evening of Friday, November 13 at approximately 8:00 PM, multiple Northwestern students reported seeing a polar bear climb out of a mysterious and previously unnoticed hatch on the Lakefill. The students, who were leaving a “Lost” fan club meeting in Norris, reported seeing the subject leave the hatch and run north along the lake. There have been no further sightings of the subject,  described as being a 500 lb. white male about six feet in length.

Further investigation of this report uncovered a gas leak in the Wildcat Room of Norris, where the “Lost” fan club meets. Gas inhalation is known to cause both auditory and visual hallucinations, especially in those addicted to convoluted television shows with improbable plots.

The University Police reminds all members of the Northwestern community that there are no polar bears in the Evanston area and that they should think twice before reporting such phenomena.

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This message was sent using the NU Bulkmail service to Evanston Faculty, Evanston Staff, and Evanston Students with urgent priority.

By The Lakefill Monster

Ok, so let me get this straight. There’s a luscious pool of what is clearly imported glacier water from Switzerland in the middle of campus and you’re not gonna take a dip because the school says you shouldn’t? You’re killing me. Get your youthful sense of adventure together and just seize the day! Worst case scenario – you’ll get high on life. I never let a bunch of puritans in suits push me around, and you know what it earned me? A sweet-ass trident.

Whenever I see a morsel, er, Medill co-ed walking on shore secretly yearning to feel alive, I hate The Man just as much as the next historically non-carnivorous sea creature. The water is so inviting, yet so forbidden. You wouldn’t dangle ice cream in front of a toddler, would you? This is the exact same thing, man. The exact same, and it ain’t right.

I’ve even got everything you need. Fins and mask? Check. Snorkel? A-checkaroo. Hey, do ol’ Lakefill Monster a favor and be sure to put on the pre-swim lather. It smells curiously like soy sauce, but it’s just for tasty… I mean, safety. Just start with the feet. That’s it, they all start with their tender feet.

EVANSTON – Northwestern President Morton Schapiro unveiled plans to supplement the Evanston campus’ lake fill with a private archipelago across Lake Michigan at his inauguration on Friday, Oct. 9. The plan will raise awareness about sustainability by using organic material from old-growth rainforests to fill the archipelago’s islands, Schapiro said.

Citing the cramped conditions of the Sept. 19 ‘Rock the Beach’ dance party thrown for freshmen during Wildcat Welcome Week, Shapiro noted in his inaugural address that “the time is now” for Northwestern to expand its beachfront acreage.

“It’s no secret that with the job market out the window, kids aren’t applying to school with hopes of future employment anymore,” he said. “The Northwestern student of the future is a student who wants to take full advantage of the temperate campus climate.”

According to Schapiro, the use of sustainable materials to build the archipelago islands was “fundamental” to the plan. Environmentalist and author Thomas Friedman, who gave opening remarks at the inauguration, praised Shapiro for balancing plans to improve the “hot, flat, and crowded” beaches with promoting environmental awareness.

“By collecting all this sustainable material and dumping it in Lake Michigan, Morty is showing that he’s aware of the environmental problems plaguing earth,” Friedman said. “Awareness is pretty much the same thing as taking action.”

Weinberg junior Sam ‘Earthpeace’ Johnson reflected on Friedman’s statements when interviewed after the inauguration.

“I’m aware of a number of troubling events taking place in this country and abroad,” Johnson said. “It’s comforting to see that our President shares our level of awareness.”

Many students who are less aware supported the plan as well. Varsity golf captain Neil Claymore said that the team will attempt to adopt the archipelago as its home course. Senior marijuana user Fred Parker added that the islands will be a great place to “relax, man.”

Environmentalists and residents of South America were glad to see that awareness was instrumental to the archipelago project. However, some expressed doubts about the project.

“Where did our rainforest go?” one resident asked.

So I keep hearing about this Northwestern Lakefill and how it’s so glorious. Yeah, it has a nice view of Chicago. And sure, it provides people a nice place to run for a total of three months during the school year.

But Lake-FILL? I think not. This supposed engineering marvel “filled in the lake” to “add more land to the Northwestern campus.” Ludicrous! The lake is barely full at all. In fact, there’s a whole shit-ton of water left in the lake. What’s the deal? I thought Schapiro ran Northwestern, not Mayor Daley.

I mean come on; does it look full to you? On top of all of this, what does it say about the McCormick School if they cannot complete the simple task of filling the lake? This is an undone job, and people need to know. It’s a lake, not an ocean. This is just another example of Northwestern’s inability to properly relegate her funds. I mean really, do we need another frickin’ blue-light telephone? I say it’s about time to fill up the lake for real!

Dear The Northwestern Flipside,

Mitch Skillman

Dear Mitch,

I’m glad you asked, as there are a lot of really cool places where really cool people hang out and do really cool stuff. For instance, there is a popular vampire-themed dance club in the 28th sub-basement of Tech. Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with Twilight, many engineers simply find that long hours in Tech tend to instill a fear of the sun they haven’t seen in years and a taste for the blood of humanities majors.

For those looking for an older, more experienced crowd, Pick-Staiger includes a swingers club which is run in conjunction with the Northshore Retirement Hotel. Also not to be underestimated is the Cliff Diving Club, which meets on the lakefill at 2:00 on Wednesday mornings. While it is true that nothing even slightly resembling a cliff can be seen within miles of the lakefill, it’s certainly entertaining to watch them try.

Finally, for the truly adventurous, the nightly orgies on the roof of Slivka are not to be missed, especially in January. And you wondered why they never go outside.

EVANSTON – Robert Aban, a Weinberg senior from Baragoi, Kenya, surprised absolutely no one when he emerged victorious at Dance Marathon, which, as always, was held at Northwestern University the first week in March. Aban was able to establish a solid pace and never let up from start to finish, winning his third consecutive Dance Marathon.

“It is a great honor for my country,” a barely winded Aban said after the Marathon ended, “Kenya has a great tradition of Dance Marathoners, ever since Abebe Bikila won the first ever Dance Marathon in his bare feet. I am glad that I can add my name to that tradition.”

Aban completed DM in 30 hours, tying his own personal mark of 30 hours, and also tying the world record of 30 hours. Though he was only in 3rd place after Block 5, he was able to keep up a steady pace and pass McCormick sophomore Mahmoud Tannouz of Rabat, Morocco to take the lead during Block 8. After that, Aban never looked back and pulled away from the field.

Other DM participants were not surprised with Aban’s victory. “Yep, Robert won again,” said disappointed Medill junior Sam Jenkins, “That guy has won every year I’ve been here. It must be in his genes or something. After all, the whole group of kids from Ethiopia and Kenya never stopped dancing. I looked over during Block 9, and they were still going like DM had just started. It’s insane.”

Kenya is known for its long distance runners; its dancers do not receive that much media attention. “When I was a kid,” explains Aban, “most of my friends ran to and from school. I danced. I guess I was a little different.”

Northwestern’s attention turns now to the Dance 100-Meter Dash, which will be held the first weekend of May on the lakefill. Weinberg junior George Sinclair, from Kingston, Jamaica, is the favorite to win.