November is over.  Guys, time to pick up your razor.  Gals, you can kiss your men without being tickled.

Participants of the Movember movement, known as Mo Bros, grow a mustache for the month of November to raise funds and awareness for men’s health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer.

Fittingly, their slogan is:

Changing the Face of Men’s Health.

Movember isn’t limited to just humans, though.

Numerous passenger jets joined the movement last month.  British Airways, Virgin, Qantas, WestJet, and many other airline companies were all seen sporting neat (and some not so neat) mustaches in support of Movember. 

The cause is close to the hearts of many of the airlines. 

The late British Airways CEO Lord Colin Marshall suffered from prostate cancer and passed away this past July, while Qantas CEO Alan Joyce discovered he had developed an aggressive form of prostate cancer in early 2011, but was able to beat it due to early detection. 

Movember reports that 854,000 participants raised $126.3 million USD in 2011.  Check back with Movember in a couple weeks to see how much money was raised in 2012.

In the meantime, Movember has released a guide, “Saying Goodbye to Your Mo”:

• Put on some calming music – Tunes that you and your Mo have enjoyed together over the last month.
• Trim back any longer hairs with scissors or an electric trimmer.
• Lather up generously
• Start from the outside and work your way in.
• Wash it down with warm water.
• Remember he will be back next year.

In the other news, your Mo could potentially get you free cocktails, if you know the right spots (for those of you 21 and over). 

By: Manuela de Pretis

Same-sex couples in Maryland will now be able to marry at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1.

During the election earlier this month, Maryland voters approved Question 6 that pledged to legalize the practice by a 52-48 percent margin. But due to existing marriage law, state lawyers previously stated the earliest gay couples could wed would be Jan. 4. There is a two-day waiting period in Maryland after a clerk issues a marriage license, and since Jan. 1 is a national holiday, licenses could not be issued until the following day.

The state attorney general’s office stepped in with news of change of timetable on Thursday, explaining in a 19-page opinion that clerks can start to process applications ahead of time as long as the licenses don’t take effect until New Year’s Day.

The opinion leaves it to each individual county to decide whether to issue the licenses early, but a spokesperson for Gov. Martin O’Malley encourages all offices to operate in line with the opinion:

“There are many people who have literally waited a lifetime to get married, and they should not have to wait any longer than necessary after Dec. 31 to do so.”

Do you think January 1 will be a historic day for Maryland? Let us know in the comments below.

The new UMBC Cyber Scholars Program is seeking applicants. Incoming Freshman for the Fall 2013 school year, current students, and transfer students interested in careers in cybersecurity are encouraged to apply by January 15, 2013.

Starting Fall 2013, the Scholarship program will support 15-20 students annually with financial awards of $5,000-15,000 per year. The scholarship is more than a financial award; it is a scholarship program that fosters a community through common on-campus living-learning housing, events, and activities. Cyber Scholars will learn from and support one another throughout their college careers, and from core interaction with UMBC faculty and mentors.

Every Cyber scholar is assigned a faculty advisor who is pursuing cybersecurity-related research of their own. Advisors will help students find research and internship opportunities best suited to them.

To apply for the UMBC Cyber Scholars Program, visit Cybersecurity.umbc.edu/cyberscholars