Thumbs up to former Collegian photo editors Andrew Riggs and Joseph Hollak for receiving first place in “Breaking News Photography” at the regional level of the Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards. The two will advance to the national round of judging, set to take place later this month.

Thumbs down to the pending unemployment of all the editors here at The Collegian. Nobody here is looking forward to being any poorer.

Thumbs up to professors who give finals early, even when they aren̢۪t supposed to. Even if the administration doesn̢۪t approve, we certainly do, and we all appreciate the lessened pressure during finals week.

Thumbs down to Hilary Duff. Why? We just don’t like her. And on that note, we also don’t like Martha Stewart, Carrot Top, both Rosie O’Donnell and Donald Trump, The Pussycat Dolls, Katie Couric, Barbaro, NASCAR, Vladimir Putin, any of the “CSI” series, “My Super Ex-Girlfriend,” P. Diddy or Diddy or Puff Daddy or whatever his name is and Karl Rove.

Thumbs up to Dead Days and the much-needed time off. Furthermore, thumbs up to the First Annual Dodgeball Tournament, scheduled for the Thursday of Dead Days, which just goes to prove that it is indeed time off, not study time, that we prize.

“The One-Finger Saluteâ€Â is culled each week from discussions in The Collegian newsroom.