At the start of the college year in 2008 tens of thousands of students were flocking to TextBookTorrents. Their goal? To save hundreds of dollars on expensive books.

At its height the site had more than 70,000 members, with over 20,000 peers trading files at any given point in time.

The site managed to fly under the radar for a long time, but as it expanded the press and book publishers started to take notice. This unwanted attention led to numerous takedown requests and legal threats were also directed at the owner of the site, who saw no other option than to turn the final page in October 2008.

After it closed, students were left with no other option than to buy their books or to find other sources where they could share them. Oddly enough, the gap left by TextBookTorrents was never filled in the two years since its demise, despite the fact that eBooks have become mainstream and eReaders more affordable. This absence didn’t go unnoticed to a duo of college students, who launched the site Torrent My Books a few days ago.

“We were disheartened when we heard that TextbookTorrents was shutting down way back when, and since we did not see any sites coming up to replace it, we decided to take it upon ourselves to do something,” one of the founders explained to TorrentFreak.

The purpose of TorrentMyBooks is to be a place where people can share books freely, not just textbooks, although that is the main focus. The main difference with the late TextBookTorrents is that the site doesn’t have a tracker. It just provides an index of book related torrents where users can add to and download from.

The appearance and feature set of the site is similar to many other sites. Visitors can browse through the different sections, and the homepage of the site shows the more recent titles added to the various categories. TorrentMyBooks currently lists just over hundred torrents, but the founders hope there will be thousands of titles available soon.

“The motivation for creating the site is based on a personal experience of mine in college,” half of the duo told TorrentFreak. “One semester I needed to take an Art History class and it required the students to buy a textbook which cost roughly $150 USD. Fast forward to the end of the semester, I go to the school book store to sell back the book. I am told flat out that it is out of date and they cannot buy the book.”

“I was appalled that an art HISTORY book goes out of date. How does a book about the history of art change so much that you need a new edition? The only reason I can think of is that publishers have a monopoly and are able to force students to buy a new edition,” TorrentMyBook’s co-founder says.

It is pretty clear where the motivation of the site’s founders come from, but then there’s always the follow up question that deals with the morality of the operation. Here, the site’s co-founder – annex textbook vigilante – pictures himself on the right side of the argument as well.

“The morality of torrenting books is not clearly defined. You can’t really put a price on sharing knowledge such as books. That’s why most libraries are free. I also do not mind paying for books but publishers like to take advantage of students which does not seem right to me. Also, as a student, I do notice that people are looking for a cheaper alternative to books.”

Then there’s one hurdle left, the legality of the operation. Considering the history of TextBookTorrents and the piracy paranoia among book publishers as of late, the founders of TorrentMyBooks can expect plenty of DMCA notices, or worse. This is something they considered before starting the site, but nonetheless they will carry out their ambitions.

“One must be worried about the legal implications. However, we are going to be diligent in creating the number one source for books,” we were told.

Video speaks for itself.

For the girls check out the Party With Pi Phi, Tri Delt Rage, and Kick it with Kappa shirts!

Email shirt ideas to contact@oldrow.net

The place is called Tigerland, its right outside LSU’s campus surrounded by Pluckers and Dominos (both open till 3am for drunk munch cravings)

Shady’s
18 and up
2 shitty pool tables
4 “high rolla” booths
Bartenders are greek
Fairly greek crowd with usually bros trying to pounce
Big projector screen with sports center always on
Stage that gets used when girls get drunk

Bogies
19 and up
Sophmores- Juniors mainly
only open on big nights
greek crowd
food stand out front that completly banks off of hungry drunk kids with money

JL’s Place
18 and up
chill place with greek bartenders all in same frat
usually a “last resort” bar if everything is packed
older drunk crowd that doesnt give a fuck
pool table in the back with booths
decent stage and lifted DJ booth
dual bars
sometimes get beer pong going (only on big nights)

Mike’s Daquiris
18 and up
Freshmen hot spot
Used to be guido central till they fired all staff and replaced them with greek
Two rooms
1st room
-nice, cool, widescreen tv’s, daquiri bar, modern lighting
sell food, place to spit mad game
2nd room
-hot, dark, two pool tables, lifted benches next to wall, small bar
loud good music, pretty much move to this room when you get drunk
biggest bar out of all and most fun for sure

Reggies aka (Club Regg)
18 and up
Bro Fighting central
sketchy dark and small
loud music
one pool table next to stage
outside patio is covered with bar, usually pretty chill
diverse crowd (black athelets, greek, horny bitches)

America Fuck Yeah.

Dirt Nasty, rad as usual.

“Back when we had REAL Greek Games, this is what they looked like. They were all sorts of opportunities to imperil your safety and sobriety, as well as that of everyone around you. Political Correctness and insurance riders eventually made short work of that. I don’t know what they’re passing off as Greek Week these days but this was the real deal. Brothers and Sisters, pump up the volume!!!!”

Fallout from the Spill

Our new Louisiana poll has a lot of data points to show how unhappy voters in the state are with Barack Obama’s handling of the oil spill but one perhaps sums it up better than anything else- a majority of voters there think George W. Bush did a better job with Katrina than Obama’s done dealing with the spill.

50% of voters in the state, even including 31% of Democrats, give Bush higher marks on that question compared to 35% who pick Obama.

Overall only 32% of Louisianans approve of how Obama has handled the spill to 62% who disapprove. 34% of those polled say they approved of how Bush dealt with Katrina to 58% who disapproved.

While the poll results indicate a lot of unhappiness with the President, ultimately BP is getting the largest amount of blame from voters in the state. 53% of voters say they’re angriest at the oil company to 29% who say their greatest unhappiness is with the federal government. And 78% say BP has the greatest responsibility for cleaning up the spill to only 11% who say that onus lays with the federal government. 44% think BP CEO Tony Hayward should be fired to 29% who think he should not and 26% who are not sure.

One thing the oil spill has not done is created a spike of opposition to offshore drilling in Louisiana. 77% of voters still support it with only 12% against. Only 31% say the spill has made them less inclined to be in favor of drilling while 42% say it hasn’t made a difference to them and 28% say they’re now stronger in their support.

If there’s any ‘winner’ in this unfortunate event it’s Governor Bobby Jindal. 63% of voters approve of the job he’s doing, the best PPP has found for any Senator or Governor so far in 2010. There’s an even higher level of support, at 65%, for how he’s handled the aftermath of the spill.

Full results here

myspace.com/theuknowwho

electro 80s pop duo inspired by the MGM film starring John Cusack Craig Robinson & Rob Corddry

Eric Clapton with his friends: – Greg Phillinganes – Nathan East – Phil Collins

rad performance.