Another interpretation of Tulane's "Big Brother" program...
During my morning commute today (5 minute walk), I noticed several campus tour groups meandering about in that way that only small groups of parents and teenagers that don't know each other can meander. The path defined for the tour groups is specific; stops are made at all the picturesque views around campus. Tulane has no trouble selling the campus itself (quite enough is spent on beautification), but this morning I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to it...

While crossing a quad, I noticed a group of ostentatiously happy people converging on my path. I don't care how beautiful the day is, or how great your weekend was, no regular college students are this exuberant on Monday morning at 10am. They were high-fiving, hugging, and talking loudly to themselves. Another cult member, I mean, student ran up to them all the way from the other side of the lawn. It was just too wierd. Maybe I am just a grumpy old man, but it was making me a little paranoid. I glanced back at the tour groups. One group stopped at the exact time that the happy people had started across the quad. Right now they were looking across the grass towards the stately Newcomb Hall, directly at the happies (who were quite ethnically and culturally diverse, I might add).

There is no doubt in my mind that those "students" were paid off by Scott "Call Me Scotty" Cowen.