Brian Dannelly ’97, visual arts, has been tapped to direct actor Chris Colfer in the high school comedy film, “Struck by Lightning.” Colfer recently won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel in the popular TV show “Glee.” On January 20, Variety reported, “Dannelly will be in familiar territory with ‘Lightning,’ having previously helmed teen dramedy ‘Saved!,’ which starred Jenna Malone, Mandy Moore and Macauley Culkin. Dannelly’s smallscreen directing credits include the pilot for ‘Weeds,’ as well as ‘Pushing Daisies’ and ‘United States of Tara.’”

Dannelly received a UMBC Alumni of the Year Award in 2005. More information can be found here and here.

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A comic strip created by Donna Lewis ’86, English, an attorney in Washington, D.C., will be syndicated through the Washington Post Writers Group, according to the Baltimore Jewish Times.

Enter Lizzie, the “star” of “Reply All,” a new comic strip scheduled to debut on Monday, Feb. 28, through the Washington Post Writers Group syndicate. Penned by Baltimore-born cartoonist Donna A. Lewis, “Reply All” is loosely based on the artist’s own life: Lizzie is a single woman who is doing well in her career, but who still harbors self-doubts.

“She’s modeled after successful women who like who they’ve become,” says Ms. Lewis, 48. “She’s confident, yet insecure, about everything she does. It’s like when someone says, ‘I love your outfit’ and your response is ‘really?’ Does Bill Gates question his every thought?”

Read the full story in the Baltimore Jewish Times here.

Read another story about Donna in the Baltimore Sun.

The evolving news out of Egypt has shocked and surprised many. But should people be so surprised? The cartoon above suggests otherwise. Have a look and see if you have any other ingredients to add to Mubarak’s explosive dish.

Maybe you have your own appropriate name to give this culinary concoction? (cartoon by KAL)

Rahm Emanuel is back on the ballot for mayor of Chicago- early voting starts Monday.

An openly gay candidate is leading Ireland’s presidential race.

Mark Zuckerberg and Jesse Eisenberg have an awkward meeting on SNL.

Bristol Palin’s “sex week” talk cancelled after Washington University students protest the $20,000 price tag.

There are  potentially record breaking blizzard and tornado warnings across the United States from Monday to Wednesday.  Check your local weather information and bundle up!

While revolution rages on the streets of Cairo, south of Egypt another massive revolution is developing.

The world’s newest country may soon be born… here’s the story:

Sudan has long been a victim of famine and violence. A deadly civil war in that country has claimed about 2 MILLION lives since 1983.

In 2005 a peace agreement ended the war. As part of that agreement, South Sudan was granted an option to break away and form its own country. However, they must wait six years and hold a referendum for secession.

The week of January 9, 2011 voting for secession took place. Hundreds of thousands of excited voters lined up at the crack of dawn on the first day to cast their ballot.

Now, the results are in: with an overwhelming 98% voter turnout (if only we got that kind of voter turnout in the USA!), over 99% of South Sudan voted for secession!

However, South Sudan cannot secede immediately- they must wait for the final result to be confirmed next month and get through legal difficulties. If all goes well, they will be free to officially declare Independence on the 9th of July.

The President of south Sudan, Salva Kiir, calls for patience and respect, saying, ”The project has not finished … We cannot declare independence today. Let us respect the agreement. We must go slowly so we can reach safely to where we are going.”

So what now?

There are still problems to be sorted out- including Northern Sudan’s loss of the south’s oil resources.

They will have to resolve tense border disputes and the new country will need a new name.

Two contenders for south Sudan’s new name include Nile Republic and Cush, or will it simply be known as “South Sudan”?

The President of north Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, has said that he wants to have “brotherly” relations with the south after it secedes, and Kiir claims that the impending secession only changes “…the constitutional form of relationship between north and south. North and south are drawn together in indissoluble geographic and historic bonds.”

Is a peaceful secession possible, and can the two Sudans manage cordial relations?  Only time will tell.