While we are in the spirit of Halloween, Fran’s recent blog, “The Hotel Bel-Air’s Permanent Guest”, reminds me of the permanent undergrads at Mount Holyoke College. Established in 1837, Mount Holyoke is an old campus with beautiful dorms. However, at the right time of night, with the right urban legend, Mount Holyoke can spook any prospective student into second guessing enrollment in the fall.

Mount Holyoke’s dorm, Wilder Hall, is perhaps most notorious for its hauntings — it was even featured on the Travel Channel’s “Haunted Campuses.” As the legend goes, a student hung herself in her room located on the top floor of the dorm. The next student living in the same room apparently drove herself mad and left campus without notifying anyone. Rumors spread that the room was haunted, and so it was boarded up and closed off to the rest of the world, but, of course, the stories kept growing around it. For some students, the “Ghost Room” became the reason to stay in Wilder Hall, or to stay completely away from it. Upon hearing about the room during my first year in college, my friends and I paid a visit to the room at night to see if it was really locked up, and it was. Just jiggling the doorknob was enough to get ourselves so worked up that we immediately fled the dorm screaming.

During my years at Mount Holyoke, I often caught wind of urban legends involved with that one particular room. During class, a friend of mine, who at the time was living in Wilder Hall on the same floor as the haunted room, shared a strange event that took place the night before. She told me she was awakened in the middle of the night with a horrible feeling she couldn’t describe. She was so terrified she ran out of her room and was completely stunned to see what was out there. Every student on the entire floor was standing in the hallway, also frightened out of their rooms!

I never witnessed my friend’s experience personally, but it was the talk of the campus the entire day. But there was one incident that we all witnessed together as a campus. During my third year, I believe in the spring, there was a random gust of wind that took up in the middle of the green and knocked one tree down. The tree fell on Wilder Hall and damaged only one room: the ghost room! You can imagine the pandemonium this caused — girls shrieking “The ghost is free.” Perhaps it did finally set the ghost free because I never heard any strange stories again.

-Courtney Centeno, account executive

Starting a new business is extremely risky. Going into business against an internationally successful company compounds that risk exponentially. Still, that is exactly what Jerry and Jeff Jarrett did when they started their company, Total Nonstop Action. TNA is a wrestling company, but this isn’t about wrestling. It’s about a small group of people who are making a business successful against the odds. It’s about a great business plan and dedicated people.

Jerry Jarrett and son Jeff were lifers in the wrestling industry, having run and starred in many companies over the years. In 2002, the Jarretts started their company against the odds and against the hugely successful and star-filled WWE (aka the only game in town).

The early company has been described as a skeleton crew, with non-specific job titles, basically covering whatever needed to be covered. One such example is Jeremy Borash, TNA’s second employee hired. Borash has been a ring announcer, broadcaster, video editor, show writer and more.

Conventional wisdom would state that a weekly television spot would build an audience. However, the Jarretts needed to keep costs at a minimum. They decided to hold weekly pay-per-views filmed at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, TN. These pay-per-views were obviously more frequent, but priced much lower than the sports entertainment norm.

The buy-rates built slowly but steadily over the next two years. They landed a spot on Fox Sports Net in 2004 before finding a long-term home on Spike TV in October 2005. Last year, the consistently growing ratings allowed them to move to prime time on Spike TV.

Another unique part of their business model is TNAU (TNA University). This was developed for fans to help promote the product, while developing their business skills and gaining experience in many areas (marketing, advertising, radio, TV, …). College students start chapters on their campuses. The program encourages and rewards creativity.

This concept is really brilliant. TNA is capturing huge numbers of college-age fans while getting some great extra local-level promotion. With over 150 chapters in North America, it is clear where their future fan base originates.

Last weekend, TNA held its first pay-per-view in Chicago and sold out the Sears Centre. It was a star-studded event featuring the return of Jeff Jarrett, who had taken a leave while his wife battled breast cancer. Jarrett’s wife died in May of 2007, and his return this month (Breast Cancer Awareness month) was timed to raise awareness and funds through a special t-shirt sale, with all revenue from sales going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

It’s great to see a company like this succeed. In a strange way, this story reminds me of a company which started a few years ago. Global Traveler was founded by an industry lifer who surrounded himself with loyal, dedicated and multi-functional people. I was one of those people. As GT finishes its 5th year, I am proud to have been a part of it all, just as the Jarretts should be proud of their company. They had the vision and they are making it happen.

-John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

I’ve watched both presidential debates this season, plus the v.p. debate and some covering state and local positions. I don’t know why I still tune in when years of experience have taught me that  no matter the party, candidate or position, these forums rarely provide me with the kind of information I am seeking to help me decide whom to vote for. Well, okay, maybe they do give me the opportunity to see how these men and women think on their feet, but rarely do any of them answer a question directly. I get so frustrated with vague, generalized responses; bits of stump speeches I’ve heard numerous times already; and attacks on and claims against their opponents.

What I want is brief, concise answers to the questions that were posed. I DON’T want candidate A to describe his/her position in terms of what he/she states is candidate B’s position. I’ve decided that the current debate format (which, let’s face it, doesn’t really look or sound like a genuine debate) should be ditched in favor of an opportunity for each person to address questions posed to him/her individually. It would look something like this:

The candidates don’t appear on stage at the same time, saving them from the temptation to start pointing fingers at each other.

Each candidate is presented with the same questions and given the same length of time to answer them.

Going overtime results in a shut-off of the microphone and/or camera, penalty points, and/or a mild electric shock! The same penalties hold true if the candidate wanders off topic or begins talking about the opponent or his/her position rather than the candidate’s own.

I don’t know if such a system would be more entertaining than the current “debates” are (well, perhaps so if the electric shock is used!), but it would almost certainly be more enlightening.

Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

Do you enjoy practical jokes? I like them as long  as they are harmless (call me a goody two shoes, but it’s easier to be nice in my book). Anyway, I always get a kick out of hearing office jokes. I believe it’s important to keep high office morale to keep everyone operating at his or her highest-level achievement, but let’s face it; today’s times are stressful. A practical joke is always a great way to relieve a stressful work environment.

I know some of my colleagues have perfected this art and hope they share some of their stories on the blog. I myself have not been the mastermind of any large-scale jokes, but I believe practice makes perfect. I haven’t seen too many episodes of the television series The Office with Steve Carell, but seeing how it is a show that has taken off in various countries around the world, obviously I’m not alone in thinking the office can be a good place to play practical jokes on your colleagues.

Please share some of your stories to distract us from our workday!

Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

Every 4 years the world’s best athletes come together for 17 days for the summer Olympics and the whole world watches. I look forward to these 17 days and enjoy them immensely. As a natural competitor, I admire the work ethic, intensity, dedication and passion that goes into these athletes day in and day out, sometimes just to compete for the most important 10 seconds of their career.

In addition to the athletes, I love to see how people from nations far and wide come together. Unfortunately, this Olympic year there continues to be violence around the world, and, in very simplified words, how in 2008 does this continue to occur? In equally simplified words, I know money and power are at the root of all political battles, and I’ll let you interpret that as you may.

Now, not to get caught up in politics because I want to focus on the impeccable shape these athletes are in. I am always shocked at some of the ages of the athletes and wonder how they take on the mental pressure of performing and not disappointing. Some athletes are targeted to compete before they enter kindergarten. The British team has a diver, Tom Daley, who is 14, has a perfect 6-pack of abs (is that really healthy?) and is expected to medal. At 14, I didn’t want to disappoint, but I didn’t have a whole nation looking on!

Watching the young athletes, and trying to get back in shape myself, I’ve been wondering, what if society’s mentality changed and we allowed our bodies to develop more before we compete? Would the competition improve? Would there be more, or less, injuries? I heard a commentator say that Michael Phelps (if you don’t who he is - look him up!) didn’t start lifting weights until after the Athens games when he was 19. Obviously, something is working with his strategy as he’s breaking world records like it’s as easy as doing the doggy paddle. The German women’s gymnastics team has a 33-year-old competing who is in peak condition and has incredible life experience behind her, which can only enhance her game face. And lastly, how can Dara Torres be ignored, the 41-year-old American swimmer who has already medaled in the Olympics? These people are truly remarkable and inspirational!

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher